Harry Potter and the Lady of Dreams Revised
by MostEvilKitten
Summary: Revised version. Au. 5th year written before OoTP. Complete! RHr, H?, When the Dursleys go on vacation without Harry they leave him with a 'House sitter'. A mysterious girl that holds many secrets, but will these secrets be the death of Harry?
1. Chapter One

Harry Potter and the Lady of Dreams  
Chapter One: Summer Vacation without the Dursley's?  
  
Harry Potter was anything but ordinary; in fact he was highly unusual even for been a wizard, which was one of the reasons why he was unusual. Yes, Harry Potter was a wizard and attended a wizarding school known as Hogwarts, where he had lived for the last four years, with his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The reason he was unusual even for a wizard was the lightning shaped scar that he had on his forehead. He had received this scar the same night that his parents were killed, by the darkness wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort, although most of his life Harry thought they had died in a car crash. This meant that Harry had to live with the only living relatives he had, the Dursleys. Ever since Harry was a year old he had lived with his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and their son Dudley, a very fat and mean little boy. The Dursley were what wizards called 'Muggles', who didn't have a drop of magic blood in them, and the Dursley were the biggest Muggles that he had ever known.  
  
Harry never wanted to stay with the Dursleys, at number four Privet Drive, for the summer, but this summer he didn't mind if he stayed with them, because this summer the Dursleys were going on vacation and leaving Harry at the house. He was so excited that he would be able to have the house all to himself for the rest of the summer and not have to stay with Mrs. Figg, an elderly woman, who lived a couple of streets over from Harry with her cat (and she had a lot of them), for she had been away from home for the last couple of months. According to Aunt Petunia, Mrs. Figg one just packed up a couple of trunks and felt, no one in the neighborhood knew why she had felt or where she had gone, she just felt. It was the subject of much gossip in the neighborhood.  
  
Harry waited anxiously for the day to come for the Dursleys to leave, and when it finally did Harry woke up rather earlier than normal to help them on their way, by carrying their vacation trunks down to the car happily. As Harry finally put the last trunk into the car and came back in to sit at the kitchen table for breakfast he notice that all the Dursleys were dressed in their best clothes. Uncle Vernon a very beefy man with almost no neck and a lot of mustache was wearing a dark suit with a bright blue bow tied. Aunt Petunia a horse-faced woman with too much neck was wearing a dress suit that made her look as if she just stepped off a time machine from the fifties. Dudley was extremely fat and pink, which made him look as through he, was a rather large pig, he had apparently abandoned the diet he was on the year before sometime last year. He was wearing the same thing as his father, but his bow tie was barely visible from under his many chins.  
  
If someone would never see the Dursleys and compared them to Harry they would think that they weren't even related. The Dursleys had very sever looks and Harry with his lightning scar on his head were the exact opposite. Harry was a very small boy for this age, and also very skinny. He had untidy black hair, which he could never seem to tame, and brilliant green eyes, which were ringed by the circle famed glasses he always wore. He always wore clothes that were three sizes to big because the Dursleys would never spend money on Harry if they could help it so he wore Dudley's old clothes.  
  
Harry sat down at the kitchen table under the watchful eye of Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be practically angry with Harry that morning, although Harry hadn't done anything, but help them pack. It was the fact that Harry was being so helpful that seemed to irritate him so much. "So you think you have gotten rid of us that easy boy. Do you?" Uncle Vernon shot a sideways glance at Harry as he took another sip of his morning coffee.  
  
"No Sir." Harry said in the most polite way he could, but this just made Uncle Vernon even madder.  
  
"Don't talk to me in that tone of voice!" Uncle Vernon's face started going purple as it usually did when he would get mad at Harry. Dudley, who was watching the television, which was sitting only feet away from him, turned to watch Uncle Vernon yelling once again at Harry. Dudley always loved it when Uncle Vernon yelled at Harry; it was more interesting to him that whatever was on the television. "And you will not mention anything about your unnaturalness to the house sitter when she gets here, or when we get back you will be locked in you room until next summer. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"  
  
Uncle Vernon was expecting a 'Yes Sir', but had a very surprised look on his face when he heard Harry say. "House sitter?"  
  
"Yes boy. Did you think that we would leave you here alone while we go on vacation? We don't want to come back and find you have burned the place down and Mrs. Figg didn't want to taken you in again. Poor old woman having to look after you." Uncle Vernon sneered a Harry.  
  
"You mean babysitter not House sitter then?" Harry glance from Uncle Vernon to Aunt Petunia.  
  
"No boy. I said House sitter and that is the way it is going to be. I don't want to explain it to my friend why I had a babysitter for a ruddy little nephew that I don't even have, so we are calling her a house sitter and that is the way it is going to stay." said Uncle Vernon. Harry noticed that Dudley's chins were shaking with laughter, but then something amazing happened, Aunt Petunia started to speak, but that wasn't the amazing thing. The amazing thing was what she said.  
  
"Dudley stop laughing at Harry." Said Aunt Petunia in an offhand sort of way. Ever since Aunt Petunia got the letter from Harry's school, Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she hadn't been acting so cold to Harry. The letter explained the horrible things that Harry had gone through the year before. How Voldemort kidnapped Harry, torture and forced to watch as a friend of his, Cedric Diggory, was killed, something, which still gave him nightmares. Harry had figured that she had finally realized that Harry could die and that no matter how much she didn't like him being a wizard he was still family and she really didn't want to see him dead, but this was not something that she shared with Uncle Vernon who was now looking at her with a very shocked expression. Dudley had stopped laughing and was also looking at Aunt Petunia with the same expression as Uncle Vernon, but Harry had a small smile.  
  
Just as Uncle Vernon opened his mouth to say something there was a knock at the front door. Uncle Vernon glanced down at his wristwatch and then said. "She is a little early. I like when someone is early to their job it shows that they are serious about working and not a lay-about like some people." He shot another sideways look at Harry as he got up and walked to the door. Harry followed him into the hall so that he could get a good look at this House sitter, who was going to watch after him for most of the summer. Harry was bracing himself to come face to face with someone just like the Dursleys, when Uncle Vernon opened the door to show a young girl who couldn't have been farther from the Dursleys than he was.  
  
There standing on the doorstep of number four, Privet Drive, was a girl of twenty-five with a big smile that could light a room. She had shoulder length black hair and sky blue eyes; she was also just as skinny as Harry was but as tall as Uncle Vernon. Even though she was skinny, she looked as though she could handle herself in a fight, thought Harry. This wasn't a girl you wanted to mess with, without a wand that is. She wore loose fitting clothes and looked as though she was ready to go out for a run. She had a backpack slung around her right shoulder and in her left hand she was holding a rather large workout bag, with CJ Knight write on top of it, full of clothes.  
  
Uncle Vernon looking slightly shocked as he saw her standing there, which told Harry that he had never seen this girl before. "Cassandra Knight?" said Uncle Vernon in a very unbelieving tone. The girl nodded and smiled a very polite smile at Uncle Vernon. "It is so nice to meet you after all the correspondence over the last year." Correspondence, thought Harry. What had Uncle Vernon never met this girl? That was unlike him, he always wanted to know never single little detail of every that was going on around him, but not as much as Aunt Petunia, with her very nosy personality. Which Harry noticed was kicking into high gear as Aunt Petunia sneaked out of the kitchen and into the hallway to get a better look at this girl who was standing in the doorway looking a little uncomfortable with everyone staring at her. She smiled awkwardly at Uncle Vernon who realized he was staring at her and motioned for her to come inside the house. She took a shy step into the house and closed the door behind her. Then another shocking thing happened  
  
"Thank you. I thought I was going to be on that doorstep all day." Said Cassandra with an odd accent that Harry realized was...  
  
"American. You're an American." Uncle Vernon said in a very shocked tone. Cassandra giggled then spoke again.  
  
"Actually I was born in London, but when I was a year old my father got a job in New York City and we moved there. Now I live with my Aunt and Uncle cross town as I finish up my last year at University." Cassandra finished, that was when Harry heard a slight hint of an English accent hidden behind her American one. When the whole of what Cassandra just said sunk into Uncle Vernon's thick head he straighten up.  
  
"University eh? Very good. I like to see young people making something of themselves." Uncle Vernon looked at the heavy load, which Cassandra was carrying. "Here let me get that for you." He smiled, but Cassandra seemed to be handling it very well on her own.  
  
"I am fine thanks." Said Cassandra, but Uncle Vernon wasn't going to take no for an answer, so finally she gave up her bag and handed it to Uncle Vernon, who almost fell over when he first took a hold of it, it was so heavy.  
  
"Okay." He grunted as he pulled it up over his shoulder and went upstairs, Cassandra close behind him, to show her the guest room, where she would be staying. Moments later they came back down stairs as Uncle Vernon was explaining to her what her job as House sitter would be. "You will be tending to the gardens and making sure the house stays clean, also you will be watching after my nephew... err... You know about his unfortunate condition. We don't like to talk about it much around here." Harry, who was now back in the kitchen, watched as the two of them entered, Cassandra listening to Uncle Vernon intently, just like Hermione would listen to one of the Hogwarts teachers. Uncle Vernon gestured towards Harry and said. "That is Harry. He will be helping you with the chores." Uncle Vernon gave Harry a threaten look and then turned back to Cassandra with a quick glance at his watch.  
  
Cassandra pulled out a piece of candy from her pocket and stepped towards Harry. Dudley's greedy little eye staring at the piece of chocolate he probably wasn't going to get. "Do you like chocolate Harry?" She asked and Harry nodded. "Well what is the Magic word?" Said Cassandra in a causal tone as if they word magic was nothing, but she didn't know the Dursleys, who were now giving each other frighten looks.  
  
"Please." Said Harry with a huge smile on his face glancing back a Uncle Vernon, who was straighten out so that Cassandra couldn't see. After Cassandra gave Harry the piece of chocolate she turned back to Uncle Vernon, his face still had a bit of shock on it.  
  
"Are you okay Mr. Dursley." She asked him as he glanced at his watch again.  
  
"That is all I have to say for right now. Harry will show you the rest of the house. We must get going now." He gathered up Dudley and Aunt Petunia and head for the door not even say goodbye to Harry (not that he thought they would) and with a slam of the door they were gone. Harry began to feel happier than he had in months. The rest of the day went by in a blur. It really wasn't until dinner when Harry actually talked to Cassandra. Cassandra had made them she very special recipe of New York style pizza and she had brought her own cola, which she admitted that she became quite addicted to while she lived in America.  
  
"So how did you like coming back to England after all these years?" Harry asked Cassandra as he chewed a mouthful of pizza.  
  
"It is very different. Even though I was born here and my parents talk with the accents. I find it a little difficult to understand what people are saying." She smiled and Harry asked her a couple more question before saying something that kept nagging at the back of his mind.  
  
"Err, Cassandra." Said Harry and she looked at him with the smiled that always seemed to be on her face. "Do you believe my Uncle when he told you that I am a... err... pathological lair." Harry felt his face go red, just as Ron's would if he were asking the question. Cassandra chewed whatever was left in her mouth and swallowed hard.  
  
"To tell you the truth Harry. I think your Uncle in the one who is the pathological lair. I can always tell if someone is lying to me." Said Cassandra a little warning in her tone. "Anyway. Anyone tells someone they just met about something they clam to keep secret around the house isn't really telling the true if you ask me." She added.  
  
When they finished dinner Cassandra let Harry pick what he wanted to watch on the television, something that Harry was looking forward to. It wasn't until one o'clock in the morning that Cassandra asked if Harry wanted to go to bed. Harry wasn't at all tiered, but when he look over a Cassandra he could tell that she looked completely exhausted, so he told her that he was ready and they both climbed up to the top of the stairs and went to their separate rooms. As Harry was getting ready for bed a hooting noise was coming from his window. He turned to look what it was and saw a very beautiful snowy owl sitting at his window staring at him with a letter tied around her leg.  
  
"Hedwig." Harry said happily as he walked up to her and untied the letter. He opened Hedwig's cage with was sitting on his desk and allowed her to drink out of her water dish. Harry quickly unrolled the thick parchment and read it.  
  
Dear Harry  
  
My father says that Dumbledore told him that he wants you to come stay at our house two weeks before schools starts so be ready. It only little over a month more with those Muggels you live with. When you are here we can go to Diagon Alley and get our things. Can wait to see you. I will write back on your birthday with more details about us picking you up. Until then.  
  
Ron  
  
Ron Weasley one of Harry's best friends at Hogwarts always asked if Harry could stay at his house at the end of the summer and Harry was more than willing to do so. He was glad that it was two weeks before school started that he would be able to go to the Weasley's, because that was when the Dursleys planed to be back, so he didn't have to put up with them at all that summer. Harry quickly wrote Ron back about how the Dursleys were on vacation and that he had a Muggle girl, who was the total opposite of Dursleys that was babysitting him for the summer. When he was finished he tied it to Hedwig and she took off into the night heading for Ron's house. Then he finished getting ready for bed. Much to his surprise he fell quickly asleep.  
  
Sometime in the night he heard a scream, and he woke with a start. It was coming from the guest room. He though it only a dream, but when the second scream came Harry jumped to his feet his heart pounding so fast in his chest, he was worried it wouldn't slow down again. He went to the loose floorboards in his room where he kept some of his school things and pulled out his wand, in case there was an emergency and he had to use it. The Ministry of Magic wouldn't kick him out of Hogwarts, as they had threatened in the past, if this was an emergency (underage wizard aren't allowed to do magic outside Hogwarts). Scared that some how Voldemort had found out where he lived and now was attacking this innocent Muggle girl who never hurt anyone, he ran quickly to the guest room and flung open the door. Then he looked inside the room ready to attack whoever was there, but there was no one there except Cassandra, who looked as through she was having an extremely bad nightmare. She looked as though she was trying to run in her sleep and she was mumbling something that Harry couldn't quiet hear. Harry went to wake her from her nightmare, but as he bent over her she shot straight up in her bed flinging her arms widely about, as through she was fighting something off. One of her arms hit Harry square across the head, sending him to the ground with a thud.  
  
"No get away! GET AWAY! STOP! No! Stop! FATHER!" screamed Cassandra as she sat up looking about widely. When she finally realized where she was she placed her face in her hand and started to cry silently, Harry notice her body shake as she cried. Then she took a deep breath and wiped her tears about as she looked around the room to notice Harry still on the ground next to the bed. "Oh Harry what are you doing there?"  
  
"I came in to see if you were alright. You were screaming and it scared me. You were having a bad dream and when I went to wake you up, you hit me and I fell..."  
  
"Oh dear, Harry I am so sorry about that." She said. "Are you okay?" She got out of bed and helped Harry off the ground.  
  
"Yes I am fine. Are you okay?" said Harry. Cassandra had a slightly shock look on her face as through no one had never been polite to her before in her life.  
  
"Yeah I am fine, it was just a nightmare." A small, sad smile stretched across her face. There was a moment of somber silence that was only broken by the noised of a car door being slammed shut across the street. Cassandra noticed that he was still on the ground, so she got out of bed and gave him a hand to get up.  
  
"Thanks." said Harry as he headed toward the door. "Are you sure that you are okay?" Cassandra nodded. Harry had just stepped outside the door, when suddenly there was a surge of panic that went through his whole body. He moved his hand to his pocket where he had put his wand, but it wasn't there, turning back into the room, he saw Cassandra bending down to pick up something from the ground where Harry had fallen. "NO!" thought Harry.  
  
"Harry you dropped your little stick." said Cassandra as she turned around Harry saw his wand in her hand. Harry rushed forward and quickly grabbed the wand from Cassandra.  
  
"Thank you Cassandra." said Harry, and then rushed from the room. His heart beating so fast he thought he was about to have a heart attack. He went to his room and laid down on his bed, his mind racing at what could of happened if Cassandra, a simple Muggle girl, got a hold of a wand for a long period of time. Could she even use it? If she could what would happen? His mind raced with these questions for a good awhile until he became too sleepy to stay awake any longer. When he finally fell asleep he dreamt.  
  
It wasn't a good dream; it was images of what happened the year before at the final task of the Triwizard Tournament and what happened after he and a friend of his, Cedric Diggory, touched the Triwizard Cup. He watched in his dream has Cedric died with the flash of green light from the killing curse, Avada Kedavra curse. Then Harry watched as he, himself, was tortured by Voldemort as the Death Eaters laughed in the circle around him. Harry suddenly had a feeling that something was wrong; there was one extra Death Eater than there had been. This person was standing in one of the places that had been empty before, he or she, Harry couldn't tell, was dressed in black hooded robes. The hood was up which throw a shadow over this person's face, so Harry couldn't tell who it was, but what Harry could tell was that this person wasn't laughing, in fact this person was crying at Harry being tortured. After a while of Harry's torture the person couldn't watch anymore, so he or she turned it head and looked straight at the Harry who was dreaming. When the person noticed that Harry knew that he or she was there it seemed shocked. They stared at each other for a long while, until something strange happened, it spoke.  
  
"Harry..." a familiar voice called out to him, it seemed far away. "Harry..." Harry realized who the voice belonged to, Cassandra, but how. "Harry time to get up." The hooded figure pulled back its hood to reveal the face of Cassandra. "Harry..." Cassandra moved closer to him, passing Voldemort by inches, before standing directly in front of Harry. "Harry you need to wake up now." Said Cassandra in her soft voice. Harry was confused, what was happening? Suddenly Cassandra grabbed both of his arms and started to shake Harry a little. "HARRY WAKE UP!"  
  
Harry woke with a start. The room was lit with the noon sun, and Cassandra was standing over him smiling down at him. "It takes forever to get you up." Said Cassandra with a giggle. Harry jump out of bed and back away from Cassandra.  
  
"Why were you in my dream?" asked Harry franticly. Cassandra looked at him confused, so Harry asked the question again. "Why were you in my dream?"  
  
"What are you talking about silly? It was only a dream. The mind can play trick on people." Said Cassandra with an anxious tone.  
  
"You were in my dream!" exclaimed Harry.  
  
"Well if I was in your dream, you put me there. How can someone get into another persons dream, Harry? Honestly I think you are watching too much television for you own good." Said Cassandra as she walked out of the room. "Harry lunch is ready, please hurry." And with that she went downstairs leaving Harry confused. Why had he over reacted? Of course she couldn't get into my dream. Harry shook of the feeling that still lingered about Cassandra and hurried to get dressed. When Harry went downstairs for lunch he smelled the most delicious smell he had never smelled coming for the kitchen. Harry walked down the hall leading the kitchen just smelling what Cassandra was cooking. As he entered the kitchen he heard Cassandra humming a song that seemed quite familiar to Harry, but he could remember where he heard it before. He took a seat at the table listening to the song trying to stretch his memory to figure out where he had heard it before.  
  
"Cassandra, what song is that, I think that I have heard it somewhere before." Said Harry, still trying to remember.  
  
"It is a song my mother would sing to me when I was small." Said Cassandra. There was a sad look on her face as though she were remembering something very sad, but then she turned her back to Harry and finished with lunch. She had made them both a turkey sandwich and oven baked French Fires. They sat in silence as they both eat their lunches, Cassandra's expression was one of great sorrow all the way through lunch and Harry sat wondering what sad memory would make this, seemingly, happy-go-lucky girl so sad. After lunch it was as if Cassandra never had that bed memory and she was off around the house cleaning everything and humming the song again. Harry still couldn't get that song out of his mind. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Happy Birthday Harry  
  
The days rolled by and Harry was having so much fun that he almost forgot about go to Ron's house until one day after going into town with Cassandra for 'just because shopping' as she called it, he found Pig flying anxiously around his bedroom with a letter from Ron. Harry quickly untied the letter from Pig's leg as he wondered how long had the owl being flying around his room. Harry quickly opened the letter and read Ron's almost unreadable handwriting.  
  
Harry,  
  
We have a plan to get you here. Dad was thinking that if you have the Muggle girl drive you to London, we could meet you outside the Leaky Cauldron, so that we can get our things from Diagon Alley before heading over to the Borrow. How does that sound? Write back to me with your answer.  
  
Ron  
  
A smile stretched across Harry's face as he ran downstairs to dins Cassandra and ask her if she would be able to driving him all the way the London and back, so that he can go to Ron's house. He stop at the bottom of the stairs and thought, "How am I going to ask her?" He didn't want to sound like a stupid little kid asking his grown up for something that couldn't be done. He looked nervously out at her car, he didn't even know if it would make it to London and even if it did, he didn't know if it would make it back. Harry didn't want her to be stuck all the way out there and not have a way back, so he decided to chose his words carefully.  
  
After awhile of standing in the hallway think about how he was going to ask her, he heard the now familiar sound of Cassandra humming in the family room. He crept slowly into the room and found Cassandra sitting in a chair by the window and she was reading a book. It book was what attracted Harry attention. It looked like another book a Muggle would read, but there was something different about this book that Harry couldn't put his figure on. Harry began to walk forward to get a good look at it, but before he could Cassandra noticed that he was there and she quickly closed the book and slipped into the chair next to her. "Oh Harry you startled me!" said Cassandra a little winded. Harry just looked at her with a puzzled expression. "What is it Harry?" asked Cassandra and with that Harry seemed to come to his senses.  
  
"Oh I was just wondering if you could take me down to London in a couple of weeks, so that I could go to my friends house for the last two weeks of summer holiday?" asked Harry timidly. Cassandra looked at him as she thought about the question.  
  
"I will be happy to drive you to London, but." But, Harry's stomach dropped, but what? "I will have to see if it okay with you Aunt and Uncle before I take you." They both walked toward the phone and called the Dursley's on their vacation. Harry sat back and listened to Cassandra speak.  
  
"Hello.... Mr. Dursley this is Cassandra Knight, your House.... No Harry wasn't done anything. We were wondering if Harry could go to his friends house in a couple of week for the rest of the summer?" There was a pause and Harry could hear Uncle Vernon's voice get louder and say something about interrupting his vacation by talking about Harry, but then his voice began to lower so that Harry couldn't hear it from where he was sitting across the room. "Right then. Yes everything is in good condition. No he hasn't lied to me. Yes... Yes... Yes Mr. Dursley. Alright, well goodb...." Cassandra looked that the phone as though it had just bit her, then placed it back down. "Well that was rude." She said and Harry's began to get nervous.  
  
"Well?" He asked impatiently and Cassandra turned to him, but the expression on her face didn't look good.  
  
"Well Harry." She said in a sad tone. "You can go." her tone change to a happy one. Harry thought he was about to have a heart attack when she said that he could go, but now a smile appeared on his face. "So I will take you down to London. I have been wanting to get a couple of thing from there anyways, this just gives me an excuse to go." She returned to her chair and was about to pick up the book again when she noticed that Harry was still there. "Is there anything else Harry?"  
  
Harry quickly looked at Cassandra and shook his head as he headed back upstairs to write back to Ron. When he got into his room, he picked up some parchment that he had left on the floor, and his eagle feather quill (A gift Hermione) and began to write.  
  
Ron  
  
I will meet you in London. Cassandra agreed to take me. We will be there.  
  
Until then  
  
Harry  
  
Feeling good about the letter he tied it to Pig's leg, which still was flying around Harry's room excitedly. The moment that the letter was tied Pig flew out of the window without stopping for water. Hedwig watched him fly out of the window as thought the owl was extremely crazy. Harry laughed at the little owl that was now fly as fast as he could towards Ron's house, to show that he was as good as any other mail owl. The rest of the day went by rather quickly as Harry sat day dreaming in his room about what the next year at Hogwarts would be like. He had a funny feeling that something big would happen, but he couldn't think of what that might be.  
  
That night Harry had another dream. Harry woke up early, but not as early has Cassandra; he could hear her cooking breakfast downstairs. While he was getting dressed Hedwig arrived at the window with Pig right behind him. They both had gifts for Harry's birthday. He relived both of them of the gifts and pilled them onto his bed. He was about to open a letter Ron had sent him when he realized that he was very hungry so he got dressed and went down stairs and into the kitchen.  
  
Cassandra was at the stove as usual cooking breakfast, when Harry suddenly realized that there was something was terrible wrong. The smile that usual lit up Cassandra's face was gone and she now was staring at the wall behind the shove with a blank expression; there was also something on her forehead, a bit of ash maybe. Harry came around to look at her fully when he let out a loud gasp. She had Voldemort dark mark burned into her forehead (a skull with a snake coming out of it). What was going on? The question raged in his mind as he started to back slowly away from Cassandra until he ran into something quite solid. He turned around to see a pair of red eye staring down at him, Voldemort, was standing there. A sharp pain went through his thin scar on his forehead and he turned to run, but his legs seemed to have turned to jelly and would not support his weight. As he fell to the floor he looked over at Cassandra and she too was doubled over in pain, holding on to her right shoulder.  
  
"Get him." Harry heard Voldemort say as two Death Eater grabbed Harry on either side and drag him to a chair next to the kitchen table. The pain in his scar lessened as he got farther away from Voldemort, his buried vision slowly came back he saw that Cassandra had straighten out and was still staring at the wall behind the shove. "Take a seat next to Potter, my dear." Voldemort said to Cassandra and she did exactly what he said and took a seat next to Harry. Harry now realized that Voldemort had put the Imperius Cruse on her, so that she would do whatever he asked her to. Harry's heart was racing inside his chest and his mind was working fast now, trying to find a way out of this, but he soon found that any attempt of escape was fruitless when five other Death Eaters came into the room. They all had their wands out and pointed straight at Harry.  
  
"Finally, Harry Potter, so good to see you again." Voldemort's words seemed to echo through the kitchen. "I like to thank you for making me now so much stronger than before. The spell work much better than I first intended it to." Voldemort laughed his high pitch cold laugh that sent chills down Harry's spine.  
  
"What do you want Voldemort." Said Harry with a surge of courage racing through him, but it didn't last long as Voldemort stepped close and the pain in his scar began anew. Voldemort laughed again.  
  
"I really love doing that." A twisted smiled appeared on his face. "What do I want?" He repeated the question in a very nasty tone. "I want to finish the job I start in the grave yard." Voldemort was running his finger over a knife that sat on the counter next to him and looked as thought he was think of something particularly nasty. Then he motioned for a Death Eater to come to him and one did. Voldemort handed him the knife and whispered something into his ear, the Death Eater nodded and headed for Cassandra. Harry's stomach drop as the thought of this Death Eater killing Cassandra right in front of him with the knife went through his head, but that wasn't what happened when the Death Eater stopped in front of Cassandra. All he did was holding out the knife as though given it to her. "Take it!" Voldemort breathed, and Cassandra took it. "Now kill Potter with it!" he hissed and then watch delight, but the delight on his face waded away when Harry heard Cassandra speak in a very timid voice.  
  
"No." She whispered. Harry was surprise that she could withstand the Cruse, every few people could, Harry among them.  
  
"What?" Voldemort looked at her. "Kill him now!"  
  
"NO!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, and the absent look on her face was replaced with one of cold fury, that he had seen only on the one other person, Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts and the only person that Voldemort had ever been afraid of. Cassandra turned quickly, quicker than anyone could of thought, and lunged at Voldemort with the knife, but Voldemort was quicker than she was. Cassandra missed by a couple of inches and was now lying on the floor, the knife feet away from her. She went to grab it again, but Voldemort had pulled out his wand and shouted.  
  
"Cruico!" The Cruciatus Cruse, one which Harry knew all to well and hoped never again as he watched Cassandra twitch in pain on the floor, her mouth open in a silent scream. A minute later she stopped and Voldemort turned back to Harry, Cassandra still laying, as though dead, on the floor behind him. "Fine. I will do it myself." He pointed his wand at Harry and opened his mouth to shout out Avada Kedavra Cruse, the death cruse, when Cassandra stood up behind him.  
  
"No get away!" she shouted at him as she had shouted when she was having her nightmare the other night. Voldemort turned to see her stand there and order the Death Eaters to put her back in her chair. When Cassandra was sitting next to Harry, Voldemort again lifted his wand at Harry.  
  
"Avada Kedavra!" He shouted and a green light filled the room. Harry closed his eyes and braced himself for the attack, but it never came. When he opened his eyes he saw why. Cassandra had thrown herself in the way of the attack and she was now standing there with a look of horror on her face as she fell backwards and landed very stiff.  
  
"NO!" Harry yelled. Harry looked up at Voldemort excepting to see his twisted face smiling down at the girl, but there was only an expression of total shock, as though he never thought that she would do something like that. After a while Harry looked down at Cassandra, the horror that appear across her face made Harry's heart jump into his throat. "NO!" he cried again  
  
Harry stared down at Cassandra when he notice her eye moved and looked at him. He jumped. Then she began to speak and the words seemed to be coming from far way. "Harry..." She said. "Harry..." The voice was getting closer, but now the Death Eaters were grabbing him again, trying to get him back into the chair. They were shaking him hard. "WAKE UP!" Cassandra shouted and with one more shake. Harry sat straight up in his bed. The room was dark and he could hardly make out Cassandra skinny outline in the moonlight that came through the window. He was never happier to see anyone in his life, except for Dumbledore last year after he came back from being kidnapped. He reached out and hugged her hard. The dream was so real, but it was only a dream.  
  
"What is this for then?" asked Cassandra as she pulled Harry away a moment later. "Was it a very bad nightmare?"  
  
"YES!" Harry said as he notice that his scar was still aching a little. He brought his hand up to it when Cassandra spoke.  
  
"Yeah. You kept grabbing at your scar as though it was hurting you." Harry had just noticed the worried look on her face. "Do you want to tell me about you dream?" She gave a comforting smile.  
  
"No... It was just a bad memory." Said Harry trying to smile, but it didn't work.  
  
"Harry, I know that look all to well. It wasn't just a bad memory. It was something else, something a lot more than that, but if you don't want to tell me that is okay." Said Cassandra as she started to get up and head toward the door  
  
"It is just that, in my dream you died." Said Harry suddenly. Cassandra stopped and turned to look at Harry. There was a sorrowful look on her face as though she could understand Harry. Suddenly Harry had a feel that she really did understand Harry better than anyone else Harry had ever meet. It seemed odd to Harry that this Muggle girl could understand Harry when even his best friends, who were witches and wizards, were sometimes completely lost when it came to Harry. It felt good to have someone who understood him, at least emotionally, after what happened to him at the end of the last school year. With this understanding came a nagging feel to Harry, what had happened to this every sweet girl to that qualified her to understand Harry. It must have been extremely awful. At that moment his little dream didn't seem all that bad as the memories that seemed to be floating around in her head.  
  
"But it was only a dream." Said Harry with a real smile. Cassandra took a deep breath and gave Harry a half smile.  
  
"Okay, Harry. Why don't you go back to sleep. You have a big day tomorrow?" said Cassandra as she turned and walked out of the room closing the door behind her. Harry finally got to sleep after thinking about Cassandra for a while. When Harry got to sleep he had a much better dream than the one before, but when he woke he could really remember what he had actually dreamt about, except for the song that he heard that seemed to come from everywhere, it was the song Cassandra hummed the day before. He woke up feeling better that he had in weeks. It was his birthday. The first one without the Dursleys messing it up, he was so happy, that he got up and got dressed, but when he smelled the breakfast being cook and turned around to see Hedwig and Pig sitting in the window with gifts and letters from his friends, Harry's heart gave a jump. It is happening again, he thought. This time he would be ready for it, so without untying the gifts from the owls' legs, he went to the loose floorboards and pulled out his wand again. Then as quietly as possible he crept downstairs and towards the kitchen, he stood just outside the kitchen thinking about what he would do as quickly as possible, trying to remember every detail about the dream. When he was ready he flew open the door and ran into the room with his wand out and ready, but when Harry looked around the kitchen there was nothing out of space about it. Cassandra turned to him with a smile.  
  
"So you are excited about you big day." She stepped towards him as Harry quickly shoved his wand into his pocket and turned towards Cassandra. "It's not everyday you become fifteen." She gave Harry a hug and turned back to cook the rest of the breakfast.  
  
"Yeah... excited... that's it I will be right back." Harry quickly went back up to his room to see both Hedwig and Pig looking a little angry at him, but he ignored them once again and put his wand back, pulling out a piece of parchment and his beautiful eagle feather quill, so that he could write to Sirius, he began to calm down a little. He wrote furiously and didn't stop until he had every little detail of the dream and the next morning was down on the paper. Then he went over to Hedwig untied the gifts and letters from her leg and tied the letter he had on. Sensing the urgency of this letter Hedwig flew away without protesting that Harry had ignored her for so long. Harry turned to Pig and untied the gifts and letters from his leg and before Pig left to fly away Harry stopped him. "I still need you to send a letter to Ron. Wait in Hedwig's cage and I will be back."  
  
Harry went back downstairs again ate his breakfast quickly trying not to alarm Cassandra then went back upstairs to his room. Noticing that Pig was asleep he decide that he would open the letters and presents before writing to Ron.  
  
He looked at the pile of gifts that lay on his bed. He noticed that there was letters and gifts from three different people. He first picked up the letter that Ron had written him and tore it open.  
  
Dear Harry  
  
I am glad you are have a good summer. I hope I get to meet this Muggle that you have been talking about so much. Hope you have a happy birthday. See you in a couple of weeks  
  
Ron  
  
P.S. I found your present in a Muggle shop that Dad dragged me to, hope you like it. The person, who own the shop told Dad it had something to do with relaxing, but I can't really see who, they taste really bad.  
  
Harry ripped open the brown paper that was rapped around the present that Ron had sent him. It was a glass bottle filled with what looked to be little light blue crystals. Harry had to laugh a little they were bath crystals, something that Muggle women put in their baths so that they could relax. Even though this wasn't the best of birthday presents that he had received from Ron, but at least Ron was thinking about him. Next Harry reached for the letter from Hermione, another of Harry's best friends from Hogwarts, and the small package that was his present. He opened the present first this time.  
  
It was a golden snitch, a extremely fast ball that flew around at high speeds in a Quidditch game, the seeker, the position Harry himself played on his House team at Hogwarts, had to catch the snitch. This snitch was inside a small glass cube so that it couldn't fly away. Harry placed it carefully onto his desk and then opened the letter.  
  
Dear Harry  
  
I am at Viktor Krum's house, and was very glad when Hedwig showed up. Bulgaria is a very interesting place and I will tell you all about it when I see you at Diagon Alley in a couple of weeks. The snitch that you got is a present from both Viktor and myself. It is the actual snitch that Viktor catch in the World Cup last year. We thought you would like it. I heard that the Dursleys have gone on vacation and you are now being watched by a Muggel girl hope she is treating you better that your Uncle and Aunt usually do. Well I have to go. Viktor and I are going out, he is going to teach me how to fly on a broom better than I do. See you in a couple weeks.  
  
Hermione  
  
The third letter had no present with it. It was only a letter with messy handwriting that Harry recognized has Hagrid's. Hagrid was the Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts and also a very good friend to Harry. Hagrid, who was half giant, was now run around Europe trying to get the giants that had been kicked out of England to come back and help them with the struggle against Voldemort. Harry opened the letter and read it quickly.  
  
Harry,  
  
I ran across Hedwig as she was coming back from Hermione, who is in Bulgaria visiting Krum, that seeker for the Bulgarian team. Well I wrote this very quickly and can't say much. Very busy you know. I didn't have time to get you anything, but I will bring you back something as soon as I can. I don't know when I will be getting back. I could miss the first and second term, but I will be back by the third. Well have to go Madam Maxime and I am very busy.  
  
Hagrid  
  
Harry smiled at the letter. It didn't really matter to Harry that he didn't get a present from Hagrid, because for most of his life he never had a proper birthday. The letter was enough for him. The last letter Harry found was a letter from Hogwarts. Harry got a letter every year from Hogwarts telling him which books he will need to buy for the next year and any other little things that he would need for the new-year, but this letter was different. Harry could feel it; it was a lot heavier than it usually would be. Harry was wondering what was in this letter. He finally decided just to open it and read the letter. There was the usually book list, but then there was and extra letter that Harry had never received before.  
  
Dear Mr. H. Potter,  
  
We are happy to inform you that you have been chosen to become one of Hogwarts new prefects. This decision should be made lightly. It will require that you are a representative of the school and should act as such. It is a great honor and a great responsibility to be a prefect and with that responsibility you will receive certain privileges, such as, being allowed to use the prefect bathroom and giving and taking away points from the Houses. Please make your decision and send us an owl by a week before school start.  
  
Sincerely your  
  
Professor McGonagall  
  
Deputy Head-Mistress  
  
Harry sat on the edge of his bed stunned, why would they ask him to be a prefect. He wasn't like any of the prefects he had ever know, for one, he has broken more rules in his first four years at Hogwarts than most person do in their life. "Should I be a prefect?" thought Harry and he went over it all in his head. He didn't really want to have all the responsibility of being a prefect; this meant that he couldn't be involved with Fred's and George's practical jokes, and spontaneous parties. He didn't like the thought about being prefect, but then a idea popped into his head that made him smile. 'Giving and taking away points from the Houses' thought Harry as he picture the look on Malfoy's, a boy who is the same year as Harry at Hogwarts, Harry and Malfoy were constantly at odds, when he found out that Harry was a prefect. Harry would have a lot of fun with that, and that was the deciding argument for Harry. He quickly wrote a letter to Professor McGonagall, but it wasn't until he finished that he noticed that he just sent Hedwig on give Sirius the letter about the dream. When he looked a Hedwig's cage all he found was Pig sitting there still asleep. How was Harry going to give this letter to Professor McGonagall? Harry suddenly had an idea, and pulling out another piece of parchment he wrote another letter to Ron.  
  
Ron  
  
I liked your present to me, it gave me a laugh, tell you about that later. I can't wait to see you in London; you will meet Cassandra, because she is taking me. I need to ask you a favor. I need to write Professor McGonagall about something but I just send Hedwig to Sirius and I am not sure when she will be back so I wanted to know if you could send the letter to Hogwarts with Pig. I have put the letter in with this one.  
  
Thanks Ron.  
  
Harry.  
  
Harry tied the letter around the waking owl and let him go out the window. 'Poor Pig.' Thought Harry. 'He doesn't get a break.' Harry watched as the owl as he vanished from view before going back downstairs to find Cassandra. She was still cleaning the dirty breakfast dishes, when Harry walked into the kitchen.  
  
"There you are Harry." Said Cassandra. Harry went to help Cassandra with the dishes, but Cassandra wouldn't let him help. "Oh no you don't. It is your birthday and you aren't allowed to do any work today." Cassandra smiled and turned back to the dishes. "Anyways you should go get ready to go to the surprise place I am going to take you Harry."  
  
"What place?" asked Harry.  
  
"Oh no. That would be telling, and it is supposed to be a surprise, so go get ready to go." Said Cassandra.  
  
"But how can I get ready to go if I don't know where we are going?" Harry tried to get her to tell, but all she did was shake her head and laugh. "Okay I will go get ready." Harry went back upstairs and did what he needed to do to get ready for whatever his was going to do. Minutes later he was back in the kitchen waiting as Cassandra finished the last of the dishes. They piled into Cassandra's old white Volkswagen Beetle, which looked as if a good wind came up it, would fall apart. Harry watched anxiously was Cassandra drove down familiar road and after a while he figured out where they were heading.  
  
"Are we going to the Zoo?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yes. We are going to the Zoo. I think it is a very interesting place. Have you ever been their Harry?" asked Cassandra.  
  
"I was there once four years ago, but I really didn't get to see what I wanted to see. It wasn't all that much fun." Said Harry as he watched the scenes outside the car flew by as the car speed down the streets towards the Zoo. When they finally got there they had to park the car in the very back of the parking lot.  
  
"Race you to the gate." said Harry and he sprinted off with Cassandra closed behind him. Harry was amazed at how fast she could run, because she was now passing Harry and still speeding up. When the reach the front gates they stopped and just started to laugh uncontrollably. They entered the Zoo and the first place Harry went to was the big cats cages where he watched the loins for an every long time, he loved the way the walked. Cassandra also like the big cats cages when Harry had to pull her away from the Black Panthers cage.  
  
They were having such a great time that Harry didn't notice that they were heading towards the reptile house until they were right in front of the entrance. He stopped and stared up at the stone snake that stood just above the door. "What's wrong Harry?" asked Cassandra.  
  
"I just really don't want to go in there," said Harry. Cassandra nodded and they walked away.  
  
"What don't you like snakes?" asked Cassandra.  
  
"No it is not that, just bad memories." Said Harry. There was a sudden flash in front of them and as they looked up they saw a small man with a camera, who was taking pictures of people in the zoo and then selling them. He had just taken Harry and Cassandra's picture and was now waving them over to see if they wanted to buy the picture from him. Cassandra walked up to him with a smiled.  
  
"How much?" She asked. After that Harry wasn't paying attention to anything they said. Harry was looking around at whatever was around him when he something got his eye, a man in black robes walking into the reptile house.  
  
"What?" whispered Harry, as he followed the man into the reptile house? When Harry entered the reptile house the man seemed to have disappeared. He looked around and finally found the man in the black robes at the back of the reptile house looking at a particularly venomous snake that looked coiled and ready to strike. Harry stepped closer to the man, it was only then did he really question what was happening. "Why am I following this guy? He could be a Death Eater and I forgot my wand at the house." Thought Harry as he still moved closer to the man. It was as if he wasn't in control of his legs. Then the man turned so that Harry could see his face. Harry stopped in terror.  
  
"Voldemort" breathed Harry  
  
"Harry." Hissed Voldemort. Then he turned to the cage with the snake that he was just looking at and suddenly the glass was gone, as the time four years before when he accidentally set a python on his cousin. Voldemort reached in and took a hold of the snake, then turned back to Harry. "Snakes are remarkable creators don't you think Harry?" Harry just stood in his place not speaking; he didn't want to play Voldemort's game, whatever it was. Fear and hatred surged through his body as he watched Voldemort pet the snake as thought it was a dog. "Harry, why don't you come over here and say hello to my new friend?"  
  
"I don't think so." Thought Harry, but suddenly he was walking towards Voldemort, unwillingly. Harry was trying to get himself to run in the other direction, but it was useless. He was only feet away from Voldemort when he heard a voice far away but seemed to get closer with very step.  
  
"Harry..." Someone grabbed his arm and turned him around. Cassandra was standing there with a look of worry across her face. "What are you doing?" asked Cassandra. Harry felt as those he just woke up as he looked into Cassandra's face. Harry turned back to where Voldemort was standing, but he disappeared again. He suddenly left extremely tried as through he just woke up.  
  
"Do you see that man?" asked Harry. Cassandra looked around her.  
  
"Which man?"  
  
"The man in black?" Cassandra looked around again with a bewildered look  
  
"I don't see him."  
  
"He was right there," Harry pointed to the spot where Voldemort was standing. "He was there a moment ago." Cassandra straighten up and scanned the crowd carefully. She stopped as those she found what she was looking for. Harry looked in that direction but didn't see anything out of the ordinary, but it seemed important to Cassandra, because she narrowed her eyes as if she was warning someone off.  
  
"Harry, I think we should go now!" said Cassandra. They walked to the car, and Cassandra was walking so fast that it was hard for Harry to keep up with having to jog beside her. Once they got to the car Cassandra speed all the way to the Dursley's without stopping and hurried Harry into the house.  
  
"Is everything alright Cassandra.' Cassandra looked at Harry with a slightly worried expression.  
  
"Yes everything is just fine. I lost track of time and need to get back to do something important." Said Cassandra. Harry could tell that she was lying, but he could think why she would be. Crazy theories ran through Harry's head, each one seemed more unlikely to Harry than the next. Harry shook off the thoughts about Cassandra and turned his mind fully on what happened today when Voldemort was at the zoo, or was he. Was he seeing thing? Questions were popping up all over the place and he wanted nothing more but to go to his room and write Sirius, Mr. Weasley, Dumbledore, anyone, but he could. He sent Hedwig to find Sirius about the dream the night before and that she wasn't back yet, so how was he going to send the letter?  
  
For the rest of the day and into the night Harry sat in his room worrying as if Voldemort was going to suddenly turn up at his doorstep. He had taken his wand out from under the loose floorboards and kept it near him at all times. Later that night as Harry sat worrying and jumping at every little sounds, there came a knock at his bedroom door. A second later Cassandra's head appear through the cracked door. "May I come in?" asked Cassandra.  
  
"Sure." Said Harry. Cassandra came in and sat down next to Harry on his bed. She was playing with a small black box that she was holding.  
  
"Harry, I was going to give you this later, but I think it will be good for you to have it now." Said Cassandra and she handed Harry the box. "Happy Birthday." Harry took the box and opened it. Inside there was a rather large ring on a chain. The ring had three different stones that Harry couldn't identify. There was one red stone, one blue stone and one yellow stone sitting on top of the ring. Harry looked at it and smiled. Then Cassandra picked up the ring and chain and fastened it around Harry's neck. "The person who gave this to me said that it has protective powers." Said Cassandra and Harry looked at her with a shocked expression. "Protective powers?" thought Harry. "Well if you believe in that sort of thing." Added Cassandra.  
  
"Thanks." Said Harry.  
  
"You need to keep it on, so that you are always protected. It will make me sleep better at night." Said Cassandra with a nervous smile. Harry played with the ring as it hung around his neck.  
  
"Okay." Said Harry and he suddenly had a feeling as if he was protected by something. That night Harry slept peacefully not worrying about what happened that day at the zoo. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Back to Hogwarts  
  
The days rolled by and Harry managed to finish his homework from Hogwarts without Cassandra noticing exactly what he was study (she offered to help him with his math if he need it). Finally the day came that they were going to take the trip into London for Harry to meet with the Weasleys. It was the first day that Harry got up before Cassandra did, so Harry went down stairs and cooked breakfast for her as she had done for him all summer. When he finished cooking breakfast he went upstairs to wake Cassandra help; as he was about to open the door to tell her to wake up he heard Cassandra talking as if someone else was in the room.  
  
"No you cannot have him!" said Cassandra. Harry listened from outside the door. "I won't let you harm him."  
  
"Whom is she talking to? And who is she talking about" wondered Harry has he went to opened the door, but before he put his hand on the doorknob it started to turn and the door to open. Harry stood there waiting to see if Cassandra was the only person in her room as the door flew wide open. Cassandra was the one who opened the door and was now staring at him shocked.  
  
"Harry?" said Cassandra and was about to say something else when Harry spoke first.  
  
"I cooked breakfast do you want some?" asked Harry and then quickly went back downstairs, he didn't want to let Cassandra know that he heard her saying those things whatever they meant. By the time Cassandra got downstairs Harry's mind was full of questions he didn't want to ask, so they sat to eat in an odd silence. They both looked as though they wanted to ask the other some questions, but neither were speaking. It wasn't until the clock started to chime that they realized that they were going to be later if they didn't hurry up, so they quickly finished breakfast, got dress, and put all of Harry's stuff in Cassandra's car. All the way to London they talked about the great summer and what they had done.  
  
"Harry that reminds me of something." Said Cassandra as she went into her purse to get something. "Remember that day at the zoo when that guy took our picture?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, I bought it off him." Cassandra pulled out the picture of the two of them walking through the zoo and he smiled slightly. "Did you want it?" asked Cassandra  
  
"Yes, but there is only one. You would have a picture of me then." Said Harry.  
  
"Okay." Said Cassandra taking the picture and carefully ripping it down the middle. Then she gave Harry the side of the picture with her no it and kept the side with Harry. "There you have a picture of me and I have a picture of you." Harry smiled, she was a clever Muggle if not the coolest Harry had ever meet, but his experience was limited to the Dursleys and their friends.  
  
When they finally arrived in London Cassandra had to be told were to go, by Harry, to get to the street with the Leaky Cauldron, they parked across the street. Harry up out of the car and saw Mr. Weasley and Ron standing on the sidewalk in Muggle clothes waiting for him. Harry quickly got out his trunk and Hedwig's cage and placed them of the ground next to the car as Cassandra got out of the car and looked across the street at the two red headed wizards.  
  
"So those are the Weasleys?" Cassandra looked at Harry with a smile.  
  
"Part of them." Said Harry with a little giggle. "Cassandra can you bring the cage over I am going to take the trunk?"  
  
"Okay I will be over in a minute." Said Cassandra. Harry carried his heavy trunk across the street and set it down right in front of Ron.  
  
"Oh Harry there you are." Said Mr. Weasley. Still looking around as those waiting for someone else. "Where is that Muggle girl you lived with for the summer?"  
  
"Oh she is right over there." Said Harry and turning to point where Cassandra was he noticed that she had disappeared. Both her and the car were gone, but the funny thing was that Hedwig's cage was sitting right next to Harry. "That's funny, where did she go?"  
  
"Oh well." Said Mr. Weasley. "I guess it is all for the best. I would have probably asked her too many questions and she would of thought me mad, like so many Muggle often do." Mr. Weasley picked up Harry's trunk and carried it into the Leaky Cauldron. Harry stay outside with Ron, staring at the spot where the car was parked. Then he looked down at the half picture Cassandra gave him with a sad expression. For some reason he felt really sad that he couldn't see Cassandra anymore. Even thought they had only known each other for a little while, she felt like a sister to him.  
  
"Harry, we better get inside everyone is waiting for us." Said Ron and he went into the Leaky Cauldron. Harry stay for a moment longer before following Ron in. When he got into the Leaky Cauldron, Harry noticed the rest of the Weasley and Hermione sitting. Harry waved at them and he went up to Tom, the innkeeper and asked if he could keep his stuff in a room so that he didn't have to carry them around Diagon Alley. Tom agreed to let him leave it in a small room at the back of the Leaky Cauldron, this room looked like it was the room that Tom lived in. Harry left it there and said thanks to Tom before joining the Weasleys and Hermione at the table they were sitting at. Ron had just joined Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George Weasley, Ginny Weasley, the youngest member of the Weasley family and the only girl, and Hermione at the table where they were eating lunch. Fred and George Weasley, twins, both had identical excited looks.  
  
"So, Harry we heard you didn't have to live with you relatives this summer." Said Fred and shot a sideways glance at his twin brother. "Was the Muggle girl good looking?"  
  
"Fred!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley, as she, Ginny and Hermione blush, and all the boys were looking at Harry expecting the details of his summer.  
  
"Cassandra was little an older sister to me. That all." Said Harry with a half smiled. Harry eat lunch with the Weasley's and Hermione, as the Weasley twins and Mr. Weasley keep asking him about the mysterious Muggle girl that they heard have from Harry's letters (Mrs. Weasley, keep trying to get them to stop so that Harry could actually chew his food, but it was no use). The questions continued until Harry was done with his lunch and they headed for Diagon Alley. When Harry stepped in the brightly lit Alley full of magic shops, he felt almost at home. They walked down the Alley towards Gringotts Wizard Bank, so that they could get some wizard money. Harry, who had a small fortune hidden in the vaults miles below London, filled his moneybag full of golden Galleons, silver Sickles and bronze Knuts. When they were back outside Gringotts they all went three separate ways as usual.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione headed towards Flourish and Blotts book shop to buy their new schoolbooks. All three of them pulled out their lists and handed them to the manager, who helped them find their book. When they finished buying their books they went to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor and sat to have some ice cream. Hermione started to look over their new schoolbooks; she was particularly interested in a book called, Magic Amulets and Talismans, by Aderian Lomus. She thumbed through the pages of the book until she had finished looking at every page in the book, she start to look really excited.  
  
"I guess we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and whoever it is, that person must love their Amulets and Talismans. Have you guys looked at this book?" Said Hermione excitedly.  
  
Harry and Ron watch Hermione as she look through the book again and when she was finally finished they got up and started to walk around looking at all the other shops in Diagon Alley. Harry was thumbing the ring that Cassandra had given him, that lay under his clothes. Ron noticed that he was playing with something.  
  
"What's that Harry?" asked Ron. Harry took off the chain and showed it to Ron, who looked at it with great interest. Ron was going to ask Harry about it when they met Fred and George standing outside the Quality Quidditch Shop looking in the window to see if there was anything new, and when they noticed the three other them, they turned to talk to Ron.  
  
"Hey Ron you need to come with us to Madam Malkin's." said Fred, but Ron only stood there looking at them cautiously.  
  
"Go ahead Ron." Harry said, he knew what Fred and George were going to do; they were going to buy him new dress robes, as he asked them to do. Harry started to go with them, but he got a feeling that he was being watched. He let the others walk ahead as he started to scan the crowded alley. Then he saw her and his heart skipped a beat.  
  
"Why is she here?" thought Harry as he watch Cassandra walk back up the alley towards the Leaky Cauldron. Suddenly the crowd around Harry went totally silent as Cassandra turned and stared at Harry.  
  
"Harry..." said Cassandra her voice seemed to echo off the walls of the alley. She continued down the alley and Harry began to follow her. She entered the Leaky Cauldron and Harry hurried to caught up. He followed her into the dark pub, everything but Cassandra seemed to be covered with a shadow. Harry watched as Cassandra walked out of the pub and onto the street outside, he followed. When Harry got outside the street was completely empty. There were no cars; no people walking down the street, nothing. Cassandra walked to the other side of the street and stopped, turning she smiled at Harry and beaconed him across the street. Harry started to step into the street, when Cassandra opened her mouth to say something, but the only thing that came out sounded like the horn of a bus. It was so loud it filled Harry's ears as a great force pulled him back.  
  
The next thing Harry knew was that he was on the ground in front of the Leaky Cauldron and there were people standing over him, all Muggles. There was a large bus stopped right in front of him. He couldn't understand what just happened until he heard a familiar voice call to him.  
  
"Harry, what do you think you were doing?" asked Remus Lupin. Then Harry saw the face of his former Professor as he stood over him, with a very worried expression. Harry looked at Lupin confused, he didn't know exactly what he was doing, oh what, yeah, he was following Cassandra across the empty street. "You almost got hit by that bus." Exclaimed Lupin as he pointed to the bus. The people, who had stopped to look at Harry, were starting to walk away when Harry came to his senses.  
  
"What are you talking about? The street was empty a moment ago." Said Harry as he looked across the street Cassandra had disappeared again. He was looking around to see where Cassandra had gone when Lupin spoke again.  
  
"No, Harry. I watched you walk through the pub and out here. I was calling you, but when you didn't respond I followed you out. I watched you as you tried to walk out into the street right in front of an on coming bus." Said Lupin as he help Harry to his feet and dusted Harry off.  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Harry. "Did you see that girl I was following?"  
  
"What? What girl? There wasn't any girl, you walked out the door by yourself." "She would of gone out a little time before me."  
  
"No, no one had gone out or in the door for a good while before you left Harry." Harry began to really worry about it now, and it must of shown up on his face because Lupin said. "What is going on Harry?" Harry didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to tell Lupin about the things that had happened to him over the summer, how Cassandra stayed with him when the Dursley's went on vacation, how he was having dreams all the time now, and how he saw Voldemort at the zoo, or thought he saw Voldemort. Harry was confused himself so how was he going to tell someone else about it.  
  
"Nothing." Said Harry after a few minutes thought. Lupin looked at him as thought he knew Harry was being less than honest.  
  
"Fine then. Lets go back into the pub." Said Lupin as he motioned Harry to the door. They both went into the Leaky Cauldron and headed for the counter. "Tom two Butterbeers please." A moment later Tom handed them a Butterbeer each. Lupin found a seat in the corner of the pub and they both sat there drinking their Butterbeer in silence. Harry was the first to break the silence.  
  
"Have you seen Sirius lately?" asked Harry.  
  
"No I haven't seen him since he first talked to me right before the summer." Harry had a concerned look on his face.  
  
"Well I send him a letter two weeks ago and I still have heard back from him."  
  
"You know how post owls can be sometimes." Said Lupin right to cheer up Harry, but Harry saw that he was worried as well.  
  
"Yes, but I send Hedwig out to find him and she hasn't come back yet." Said Harry and with that Lupin turned to Harry with real concern.  
  
"You say two weeks. Has Hedwig ever been gone this long?" asked Lupin  
  
"No, she is the most dependable and quickest owl you will never met." Said Harry and went back to his Butterbeer. Then again they sat in silence thinking about Sirius when suddenly there was a great commotion from the entrance to Diagon Alley. Mrs. Weasley had rushed in looking for Harry and when she spotted him having a Butterbeer with Lupin she rushed over to the table where they were sitting.  
  
"Oh there you are Harry. We have been looking all over for you. Why didn't you tell us you were going to come in here with Mr. Lupin?" She smiled at Lupin and Harry stood up.  
  
"Thanks for the drink Remus, but I best be going." Said Harry trying to stop Lupin from saying anything about what happened outside to Mrs. Weasley, because Harry didn't want her fusing over him again. He hurried outside and caught joined the rest of the Weasleys in the alley. Mrs. Weasley told him all where she found him. When they all had finished buying everything they needed; they all had dinner in the Leaky Cauldron before collecting Harry's things from the small room in the back and Hermione's things in a room upstairs where she had spent the night. Mrs. Weasley pulled a bag of Floo powder out of her handbag and they all stood in front of the large fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron. They took turns taking some Floo powder from Mrs. Weasley, throwing it into the fire, calling out 'The Burrow' and then disappearing. When it was Harry's turned he slowly grabbed some Floo powder, he never really liked traveling by Floo powder, and when he finally found himself standing in the living room of the Weasley's house he took a deep breath.  
  
When they were all there. Harry pulled his things, helped by Ron, up to the very top room of the house. They walked up the crocked staircase pasting Fred and George's room, which had a funny smell coming from it, Ginny's room, where Hermione had just opened her trunk and was look over her new books again, Percy's Room, Percy one Ron's three older brother who had already graduated from Hogwarts, Bill Weasley who worked for Gringotts Wizard Bank in Egypt and Charlie, who was working with dragons in Romania, were the other two brothers. Percy was sitting at his desk write what looked to be a very important report. Harry stuck his head in the room and said hello to Percy, but Percy was working to hard and didn't even hear him. They climb the rest of the stair and finally reached Ron's room. They dropped Harry's trunk in the middle of the small room. Harry looked around at the now familiar room with the wall covered with posters of Ron's favorite Quidditch team flying around in them. Shortly after Harry had put everything in place Hermione came in and they all talk about what they had done over the summer. Hermione told them all about Bulgaria and about how Viktor was so great, which seemed to make Ron a little angry when she talked about Viktor Krum.  
  
The night wore on and just before they were about to say goodbye to each other a tapping sound came from Ron's window. They opened it and there was Hedwig sitting there a long letter tied to her leg. Harry went to the window and took the letter then opened Hedwig's cage so that she could rest, because she look rather tiered.  
  
"I forgot I send a letter about a dream I had on my birthday." Harry told Ron and Hermione about the dream, when he finished they both looked like they were in shock.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us about it. We would have had you here a lot earlier." Ron said as Harry unrolled the parchment and began to read it out loud.  
  
Harry,  
  
It took awhile for Hedwig to find me since I have been doing things for Dumbledore and haven't been in one place for to long. I am going to send a letter to Dumbledore to tell him about your dream so that he will know. By the time you get this you will probably already be at the Weasleys, which will help me from worrying so much about you staying in that house will that Muggle girl. She doesn't sound quite right, if you ask me. I will me glad when she isn't anywhere near you. Well I guess you will see Snuffles around Hogwarts.  
  
Love Sirius  
  
"Cassandra wasn't all that bad." Said Harry he went to playing with the ring on the chain around his neck but it wasn't there. Then he remembered that he gave it to Ron. "Ron can I have that ring back now?" asked Harry and Ron reaching into his pocket pulled out the chain with the ring and handed it to Harry. Hermione eyed the ring. "What's that?" she pointed at the ring.  
  
"This is one of my birthday presents. Cassandra gave it to me. She said it the person who gave it to her said that it has protective powers." He reached out his hand and showed it to them. Hermione looked at it and she looked a little worried. "Don't worry Hermione I have been wearing it for two weeks now and nothing as happened." Said Harry, but Hermione didn't stop looking worried. Shortly after that they said goodnight to each other and went to bed.  
  
The next day Harry and Ron came downstairs for breakfast and found Mr. Weasley reading a letter from Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley fixing Harry's favorite breakfast. Harry and Ron sat down at the table and while they waited for Mrs. Weasley to finish, Harry picked up that mornings copy of the Daily Prophet. On the front cover the Headlines read, "Ministry of Magic found Muggle car destroy with Dark Mark nearby." He got a sick feeling when he read it.  
  
Ministry wizards were called in yesterday to a deserted car in London. This car, whose owner in unknown, was destroyed by dark magic yesterday afternoon. Ministry wizard cleaned up the scene before any Muggle could arrive, but the Ministry fears that the owner of the car is no longer alive. This brings fear to the heart of witches and wizards everywhere, since the rumors of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned. The Daily Prophet asked the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, about the rumors and he was quoted to say. "These rumors are unfounded and I will not comment on this, because they are simple not true." Fudge doesn't think that You-Know- Who has not come back, even though, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, announced at the end of school last year that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had indeed come back after fourteen year of being gone.  
  
"Did you guys read this?" asked Harry. He still had a sick feeling in his stomach. "London... yesterday afternoon... Muggle car." Thought Harry. "Could it be Cassandra?" Mrs. Weasley looked at him and he had gone pale.  
  
"Are you okay Harry?" Harry looked at Mrs. Weasley and nodded. Mrs. Weasley took a hold of the Daily Prophet and read the front page. "Why would he start attacking Muggles? It just doesn't make sense."  
  
"What ever made sense when it came to anything he did, and in that case anything anyone did around him." Said Mr. Weasley. "Take the Longbottoms, there was on reason for them to go down that alley, even if they did have reports about him in the area. They should have waited for help." Harry listened to his. He knew that the Longbottoms, the parents of a friend of his, Neville, were tortured by Voldemort and then went crazy because of it, but he never heard the story behind it. He wanted to know more about it but the sick feeling in stomach and the worry on his mind about the article started to bug him, which was obvious to everyone around the table, because they were all looking at him with questioning expressions.  
  
"What's up Harry?" asked Ron.  
  
"The article said in London, yesterday afternoon..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I am just getting a very bad feeling about it, that's all." Said Harry, but everyone knew there was more to it, and someone would have said something, when Mrs. Weasley suddenly changed the topic, understanding that Harry didn't want to talk anymore about it.  
  
"So are you guys excited about another year of school?" asked Mrs. Weasley, and the first one to get really excite about it was Hermione, as usual.  
  
"Oh yes I can't wait. I want to know who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is, whoever it is they must really like Amulets and Talismans, because we had to get two books on the topic..." Hermione went no and no about interesting amulets that she had already read about and that she couldn't wait to have classes again, but Harry was really listening to carefully to her and by the looks of the faces around the table not many others were as well. Just has Hermione been about to stop talking there came a commotion from outside and then a knock at the backdoor. Mr. Weasley got up and walked to the door, he opened it and Harry could see a wizard in his mid-twenties standing at the door. He handed Mr. Weasley a letter and with a pop he was gone. Mr. Weasley read the letter and his face became more and more grave. When he was finished reading he handed the letter to Percy to read as he went to Mrs. Weasley kissed her on the check.  
  
"Percy and I must be going to the office." Said Mr. Weasley.  
  
"Why didn't they just send an owl?" asked Mrs. Weasley with a concerned look.  
  
"It is quite serious Molly." Said Mr. Weasley. Harry looking at Percy who had now finished the letter, he also had a grave look on his face, as he looked up from the letter at Harry. Harry started to get the sick feeling in his stomach again. Percy got up from his chair and followed his father out of the house. The remaining people around the table looked at each other with questioning expression when Harry noticed that Percy had left he letter on the table and forgot it. He tried to reach for it, but was stopped by Mrs. Weasley who grabbed it before anyone could reach it.  
  
"I don't think you children are allowed to read such things." Said Mrs. Weasley has she started to read it. "Oh my god." She slipped back into her chair; a tear started to fall from her eyes and as Percy had done before, the first person she looked at was, Harry. She stood up and walked to the fireplace. Throwing the letter into the fire she wiped the tears from her eyes and went back to the table.  
  
"What's the matter mum?" asked George. There was a heavy silence hang in the air around the table.  
  
"It would be better if you father explained it when he got home and had all the facts." Said Mrs. Weasley as she started to clean off the table in silence. The day wore on and no one felt like doing anything but sitting around the table reading books and waiting for Mr. Weasley to come back from work. Harry and Ron tried to practice some Quidditch but as soon as the started they decided to go back inside in case Mr. Weasley came back when they were practicing. Sometime after lunch an owl came. It had a letter for Harry from Hogwarts. Mrs. Weasley gave it to Harry. Harry opened it quickly, maybe this had some answers in it, but it didn't, inside there was a letter and a badge with the letter P on it.  
  
"Oh Harry, why didn't you tell us?" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley. "Hey you guys, did you know that Harry is a prefect?" The Weasley twins looked over at Harry with evil grins, Hermione was jumping up and down happily, and Ron patted Harry on the back, as Harry turned red. He didn't want all this much attention. Harry read the letter to himself.  
  
Dear Mr. H Potter  
  
I am glad that you have decided to become a school prefect. There will be a meeting of all prefects right before the beginning of the school year feast you are required to attend. You will meet Professor Dumbledore in the room just off the great hall before the feast.  
  
Sincerely  
  
Professor M. McGonagall  
  
Dinner came and went and Mr. Weasley was not home yet. A nervous Mrs. Weasley kept looking at the clock, which told the looker where everyone in the family was, right then Mr. Weasley was at work, where he had been since he left that morning, but a few moments later the clock hand suddenly flew from work to traveling and then landed on home. They stood up and waited for Mr. Weasley to enter the living room and inform them on what was happening. As he walked into the room they all was a grave look on his face, which made them all worry. He sat down in a chair by the fire and the next moment Percy, who had also went to work the moment he heard that Mr. Weasley had left that quickly, came into the room and handed a letter to Mr. Weasley. Mr. Weasley read the paper and looked back at Percy. "Are they sure?" he asked Percy and all Percy could do was nodded at him. Mr. Weasley stood up and began to speak.  
  
"Okay this morning we got a letter from the Ministry of Magic tell us that they know who the car belonged to and also that a member on my department a very good friend of mine was killed by dark magic, when he went on the search for the person." Said Mr. Weasley and then looked at Harry. He reached into his pocket and pull out what looked like a torn piece of paper. "Harry this was found in the car." Mr. Weasley handed the piece of paper to Harry, when Harry looked at it, his heart leaped up into his throat. It wasn't a piece of paper; it was a picture, of him. It was the picture that Cassandra tore in half so that they could both have a picture of the other. "We don't know where the other part of the picture is." Harry looked at Mr. Weasley and then suddenly got up and ran upstairs. He searched his things until he found the other half of the picture and ran back downstairs. He gave Mr. Weasley the other half of the picture. Mr. Weasley looked at the picture with a very shocked expression, before giving the picture to Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"Good lord." Said Mrs. Weasley. She looked at Mr. Weasley and then he continued to speak.  
  
"I had most of the people in the Ministry look at the records to try and find out why this girl was taken or even if she was a witch pretending to be a Muggle, but Percy just gave me this note and Cassandra Knight is not a witch from anywhere, not England, not American, not Anywhere in Europe, they can't find her anywhere. When I say anywhere, I mean anywhere. They can't even find her in Muggle record either. She doesn't seem to exist, anywhere." This news hit Harry hard. "Well except in the records where they keep the name of the dead witches and wizards." Everyone looked at Mr. Weasley, shocked.  
  
"They found that this girl is a one Cassandra J. Potter." Everyone in the room seemed to stop breathing all at once.  
  
"What?" asked Harry? He was confused. "Who is Cassandra J. Potter?"  
  
"Harry she is your cousin." Said Percy.  
  
"WHAT?" How could he of had a cousin that he didn't know about, and how was in the records of dead witches and wizards?  
  
"Harry." Said Mr. Weasley in a clam voice. "Your father had a sister, Jennifer Potter. She was one of the first people to be killed by you-know- who, and everyone thought that Jennifer's daughter Cassandra died with her, until one day Mrs. Longbottom, while patrolling a city for him she saw her in the middle of a circle of Death Eaters. They were walking her somewhere, we never found out where." Mr. Weasley took a deep breath but before he could continue Hermione spoke.  
  
"So He took her when she was a child and he has her now?" asked Hermione.  
  
"It seems that way." Said Mr. Weasley. "Then shortly after that the Longbottoms were attacked. Then a couple months later the ministry got a note at another of his attacks it said, 'Another Potter is dead and soon the last of them will be.' That is why your parents went into hiding Harry, because of that letter, and shortly after that... Well we all know that story.  
  
"When we realized who it was that was taken and we do think that she was just taken and not killed. We sent out Ministry wizards to find anything that would lead us to where they might be. Then sometime last night a member of my department came upon something big, but before he could tell anyone what he found he was killed." When Mr. Weasley had finished there was a silence and everyone sat thinking about what to make of all of this. Harry stood up and walked out.  
  
"No... Leave him be." Harry heard Mrs. Weasley says as he shut the door. He was glad for it because he had to be alone right now. How could he have a cousin he didn't know about? What other important things about his past had people forgotten to tell him about, a lot he imagined? He stayed outside thinking for along while and when he went back in he went straight to bed.  
  
The next couple of weeks went by in a very confusing blur. It seemed to Harry that the details about this summer started to fade away as though he could even remember what happened. Harry found himself, one day, straining his memory to remember what exactly Cassandra looked like. The only thing that remain of her anywhere was a small picture of them that they had taken at the zoo, which Mr. Weasley gave back to him after the Ministry of Magic was done looking at it.  
  
Finally the day came when they were supposed to leave for Hogwarts. That morning everyone was running around trying to get everything in there trunks and get their trunks into the two Ministry cars that Mr. Weasley had gotten for them. They made their way to King's Cross station in good time and had about a half an hour to get cart, put their thing on it and make their way to platform 9 ¾. Harry, who was getting stares from the Muggles around him, because he had a sleeping Hedwig in her cage on top of his cart, was the first to reach the barrier with Ron. The only way one could get onto platform 9 ¾ was to walk through the barrier-separating platform 9 and 10. Harry and Ron went through the barrier together and when they got on the other side they noticed that the platform was less crowded than normal, as if there were many people, who weren't going to come back to Hogwarts this year, after what happened last year.  
  
The Hogwarts Express seemed almost empty as Harry and Ron found a compartment in the back of the train as they usually did. After they put all their things away in the luggage compartment and sat in their seats, Hermione joined them. "Can you believe how few people are on the train today." She looked worried. She couldn't understand why people weren't going back to school, either could Harry and Ron, and so it seem Fred and George where confused as well when they found them.  
  
"What is going on around here?" Fred walked into the compartment with a bewildered look. "We can't find anyone." Fred and George looked at their confusing face then left to see if some people had gotten on after they left, but by the time the train was ready to go a whole crowd of people hurried onto the train. Still it wasn't the normal crowd of people, at least a quarter of the people were missing from the train.  
  
When the train slowly picked up speed Harry started to feel a little better about the thought that by the end of the day he would be back Hogwarts, the only place where he really felt safe. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Amulet, Talismans and the Potions Class  
  
They made it all the way to Hogwarts before seen a familiar face, Neville Longbottom, the most clumsy and forgetful person Harry had ever met in his life, had got off the train just ahead of them. He was looking about nervously and when he finally saw Harry, Ron and Hermione he gave a breath of relief. "There you guy are. I was looking for you all over the place. I was worried that you guys weren't coming back this year, like so many other people." He joined them as they climbed into one of the horseless carriages that usually took them up to school grounds. When they were all in Neville looked at Harry with surprise. "Oh Harry you are the Gryffindor's new prefect?" Harry nodded. They glanced out the window and Harry notice the first years following someone towards the boats as they usual did, but the person leading the way wasn't the same person as usual. Hagrid was the one who usually led the way to the boat and then up to the school, but Harry knew that Hagrid was away from school on doing a task that Dumbledore had asked him to do.  
  
"Look Professor Sprout is taking the first years to the boat this year." Ron notice the stout little witch, who was the teacher of the Herbology class, was the person who was leading the first years. "Where is Hagrid?"  
  
"He is still doing that thing Dumbledore asked him to do." Said Harry. Ron and Hermione understood what he was talking about because they were the only students, who know what was really going on, and Neville looked down right confused. The carriage started with a jolt and they made their way to Hogwarts. Suddenly Harry had and idea that made him smiled. "Did any of you see Malfoy on the train at all?" He asked the others, they all though for a moment and then smiled.  
  
"Now that I come to think of it. I didn't see him when I was looking for you." Neville told them. There was an excited air in the carriage has it enter the huge gates of Hogwarts and they all look up at the castle with it great towers and swiping lawns. They were all happy with the though that Malfoy was not going to be there this, but their happiness was dashed as the started to climb down from their carriage. They heard the familiar voice of Malfoy coming from behind them  
  
"Potter! I am surprise to see you here have what happened last year and how you got that Diggory boy killed." Harry turned to see the pale and pointed face of Malfoy sneering at him, behind him Harry saw Crabbe and Goyle, the two ape looking boy who were always standing just behind Malfoy as though they were his bodyguards. Harry was just about to say something back at Malfoy when he heard Hermione speak first.  
  
"What Malfoy, you got tiered of crawling on your hands and knees in the shadow of that thing all summer or didn't he want you." Said Hermione coldly. Malfoy just looked at her in disgust and walked quickly away.  
  
"I think that on got him, Hermione." Ron said as he tried not to laugh, but he couldn't help himself and when he broke out in laughter so did Harry, Hermione and Neville. They were still laughing when they walked into the school and headed for the great marble staircase in the Great Hall when Harry heard his name being called.  
  
"Harry Potter." Harry turned to see Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress and the head of the Gryffindor House, the house that Harry, Ron and Hermione were all in, calling him from the top of the stairs. Professor McGonagall had a particular talent for making Harry feel as though he had done something wrong when he hadn't. Professor McGonagall was a very sever looking woman, who always had her hair up in a tight bun, and a pair of square shape spectacles that surrounded her small eyes. She walked down the stairs to where the four of them stopped death in their tracks. "I believe you have somewhere you ought to be." Said Professor McGonagall with a smile.  
  
"Oh yeah." Said Harry. "You guys go to the Great Hall and save me a seat. I have to go to a prefects meeting. Meet you guy in the Great Hall.' Harry ran up the stair and went into the room just off of the Great Hall. The room was filled with the other prefect and the new Head Boy and Girl, who were both from Ravenclaw. Harry found were the other Gryffindors were and stood by them. They were all excited about having Harry as prefect. Harry was just starting to feel comfortable a room with all of the prefects when he heard a voice calling him from across the room.  
  
"So Potter was also made a prefect." Harry turned and saw Malfoy sitting next to a group of Slytherin. "And I was so hoping to get you in so much trouble." Harry was about to say something particularly nasty when the door opened and Dumbledore walked in. Everyone went silence as the Headmaster began to speak.  
  
"Welcome prefects, to the start of year meeting. We have four new prefects I would like to introduce you to. From Slytherin Draco Malfoy, from Hufflepuff Justin Finch-Fletchley, from Ravenclaw Mandy Brocklehurst, and finally from Gryffindor Harry Potter." The older prefects all clapped for the new prefects. "This year there are a few new rules. First off the Hogsmeade trip are going to be cut back to only two this year and the people who go will be escorted by Professors. Another thing is that we are going to have harder punishments for people who are caught in the corridors after hours. When you leave you will receive the new passwords for your house common rooms from the heads of your houses. Everyone is excused to go to the feast." Everyone was leaving, when Dumbledore spoke again. "Harry could you stay for a moment."  
  
Harry stayed behind and waited until everyone had left the room. "Yes Professor?"  
  
"I was informed that you were told about Cassandra." Said Dumbledore and then paused for a moment before continuing. "Harry, everyone thought that she was dead. I even thought she was dead, but I seems that she is not."  
  
"How could she fool everyone that she was dead?" asked Harry.  
  
"Not by herself. Harry you see she was only eleven when Voldemort killed her or so we thought, it was the summer before your parents died. She has never gone to a wizarding school, so I cannot see how she would be able to do the spells that were obviously used." Harry looked at Dumbledore. Harry wanted to say something but the door opened for the corridor and the first years were been lead into the room.  
  
"Oh Headmaster. I didn't know. I thought you were finished already." Said Professor McGonagall.  
  
"No, Professor we are done here." Said Professor Dumbledore. "Harry." Harry followed Dumbledore out of the room and behind him he heard an excited first year whispering something about 'the famous Harry Potter.' Harry smiled slightly. Before Harry left Professor McGonagall stopped him.  
  
"Oh Harry." She pulled him aside and in a soft voice told Harry the new password for the Gryffindor tower. Harry nodded and left the room quickly. He joined Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. Everyone was congratulating Harry about being a prefect when the first year came in. They were talking towards the front of the hall with anxious expressions. Harry didn't pay much attention to the sorting, he was to deep in thought about Cassandra, and it wasn't until Dumbledore stood up for his usual announcements did he heard a word that was said.  
  
"Another year as come to Hogwarts and more people have come to study here, even though we are missing quite a few of our number. I will like to remind everyone that the forest in forbidden to all students." His eyes feel on Fred and George and then onto Harry and Ron, all of who have either been in the forest or tried to go in. "And with another year comes another teacher to fill the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. May I introduce Professor Alexandra Smith."  
  
A witch stood up towards the end of the staff table, she was a tall witch with extremely long black hair and icy blue eyes that made Harry shutter when he looked at her. A small smile appeared on her face as she sat back down and let Dumbledore continue with the announcements. Harry, Ron and Hermione all glanced at Snape, everyone knew that Snape always wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts position and for another year he didn't get it, they were excepting him to have a look of hatred on his face, but he didn't. As Alexandra sat back down she looked at Snape with a smile, and to Harry's surprise Snape smiled back at her. All three of them look at each other with amazement.  
  
"Hagrid, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, is away from Hogwarts and won't be back until the third term, so we have another teacher filling in for him until he comes back. May I introduce Professor Justin Callahan." Then a wizard at the other end of the table stood up, he was an older wizard with thick glasses that never seemed to stay in place and they made his eyes look bigger than normal. His short sandy brown hair seemed to be just as untidy has Harry's and his robes were worn and tattered. He stood up nodded his head in acknowledgement and then sat back down quickly. "That is the end of my announcements, so let the feast begin." As Dumbledore said this the gold plates and goblets, which were sitting on the table in front of them, filled with delicious looking foods and drinks.  
  
Harry ate everything on his plate (it kept refilling itself). When the feast was over Harry told Ron and Hermione the new password to the tower and then went to where the other Gryffindor prefects had the first years. The seventh year prefect was leading them and Harry made sure that none of them got left behind. They wound their way around the castle until they all stood in front of the picture of the fat lady. The seventh year prefect said the password, which made the first years giggle a little as the fat lady's picture flew open exposing the commons room. When all of the first year were in the commons room, Harry's job was over, and decided to go to Dumbledore's office, he had some questions he would like to ask him. He found his way to Dumbledore's office without even a look up.  
  
When he came to the gargoyle he whispered the password that Professor McGonagall had told him, and went up the stairs Harry went to knock on the door when he heard someone, who was not Dumbledore speaking. It was a female voice, this witch talked rather slowly with a hint of an evil tone that Harry had never heard before.  
  
"Yes I know what you are talking about, but it simply can't be Cassie. Cassie would never come out of hiding while there are rumors that HE is back. You know that Severus." The woman's voice stop and then Snape's cold voice came through the door.  
  
"Normally I would say that you were right Alex, but how do you explain everything that we have been hearing about..." Snape's voice trailed off "Didn't you see the picture the Ministry had it is her and if he finds out who help her to disappear..." He stopped for a moment. "What is it?" He asked the woman.  
  
"I think we need to talk about this later." The woman's voice sent a chill down Harry's spine. "I think someone want to talk to Dumbledore." She said as the door opened and Harry was staring into the icy eyes of Professor Smith. She motion for Harry to come into the room, her movement were slow and Harry left like he was watching her through water. "I will get Dumbledore." She said, then gave Snape a cold smile and left Harry in the room with Snape, who was looking a little angry with him for listening in on his conversation. They stared at each other in total silence, until Dumbledore came into the room.  
  
"Harry, are you okay?" asked Dumbledore. Harry was going to speak but then he looked up at Snape would was still staring at him. "Professor Snape would you please excuse us?" Professor Dumbledore peered over his half moon glasses.  
  
"Yes Professor." Said Snape and walked from the room. Harry took a deep breath and looked at Dumbledore.  
  
"Professor, why didn't anyone tell me that I had an Aunt and cousin, let only they were killed or thought to be killed by Voldemort?" asked Harry.  
  
"Well Harry to tell you the truth, there wasn't really a time to actually tell you about it." Said Dumbledore. "How are we supposed to tell you about you Aunt and cousin when you are still trying to deal with your parents death?" Harry nodded he understood that.  
  
"And you said that she never went to a wizarding school, but there were spells used to hide her?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yes, Harry. She never went to a wizarding school, but she was taken by Voldemort for six year Harry." Harry looked confused. Everything seems mixed up to him and Dumbledore noticed. "Okay Harry let me start a the beginning. After your father's sister, Jennifer, graduated from Hogwarts she was an Aruor, she knew the real Mad Eye Moody, actually Moody was the one who trained her. She went on a mission and when she came back she was pregnant with your cousin and she wouldn't tell anyone whom the father was. When Cassandra was born everyone knew that there was something special about her, but no one knew what at the time. That is why most people thought Voldemort killed your Aunt. When Cassandra was five years old she and her mother were chased from their home and when the Death Eaters caught them they took Cassandra and killed Jennifer. It was a terrible day.  
  
"But there was more terrible days to come Harry. Voldemort and his Death Eaters were killing Wizards and Muggles all over the country and he still had Cassandra. There were rumors that Voldemort was experimenting his spells and potions on her. Then one day Ministry wizards were called to the site where Voldemort had killed three wizards and two Muggles. They found a letter from Voldemort that said, 'Another Potter has been killed and soon the last of Potters will die.' Your father and I discussed if this letter was really from Voldemort or not. I thought that it would be a good idea to act as though it was, and that was two weeks before you were born. Everyone thought she was dead. I guess that was what she wanted. She didn't want Voldemort to find her again." Dumbledore fell silent Harry had finally realized why Cassandra had the sorrowful looks all the time, she had some of the same experiences has he did. "Are there any more questions Harry?"  
  
"No. I don't have anymore questions." Said Harry. "Thank you Professor, I think I have enough to think about for right now." Harry got out of his seat started to head for the door.  
  
"Harry." Harry turned to look at Dumbledore. "Have a nice night and a good year." Harry smiled and left the office. He walked through the corridors thinking about Cassandra and why she felt like an older sister to him, she was, or at least she was an older cousin. He smiled at the though of having an older cousin, but then the thought that Voldemort had taken her made him furious. He hated Voldemort even more, if that was possible. While he was thinking about he was walking to the Gryffindor tower and didn't realized that he was there until he almost ran into the Fat Lady.  
  
"Pixie Wings." Harry said the password that he had received from Professor McGonagall and the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open. Harry walked through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room, where there were a lot of people still up and talking excitedly about the year ahead. Harry found Ron and Hermione sitting in a couple of chair in the corner and he rushed over to them.  
  
"Harry where have you been? We got he and you weren't anywhere to be found." Asked Hermione. Harry looked at her and smiled.  
  
"I was talking to Dumbledore that's all." Said Harry. Harry told them what Professor Dumbledore told him and then he remembered what happened before he entered Dumbledore's office. He told them about Professor Snape and Professor Smith's little conversation he had over heard.  
  
"Professor Smith knows Professor Snape?" Was all that Ron could say. Hermione gave him a sideways glance before speaking herself.  
  
"Harry I am sorry about Cassandra. I wish I could of meet her." She smiled at Harry and Harry smiled back, but Ron was still is a state of shock.  
  
"Professor Smith knows Professor Snape?" He said again. Both Harry and Hermione look at him with odd expressions.  
  
"It looks like it, Ron." Said Harry  
  
"That would explain why he doesn't hate her, like he has hated all the other Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I hope she is a good teacher. I wish Lupin could of came back. I don't care it he is a werewolf." Ron looked at Harry and Hermione with their odd expressions. "What?" Hermione shook her head at Ron and then spoke.  
  
"The thing I want to know is how does Snape know Professor Smith, and how do they both know about Cassandra."  
  
"I don't know." Said Harry as he noticed that they were the last people still awake. "Well it is getting late and tomorrows our first day. I think I am going to bed." They all stood up and went up to their dormitories. As Harry and Ron entered the fifth year boys' dormitory they happily noticed that all of the fifth year boys had come back and not stayed at home. Neville Longbottom was snoring in his four-poster, Dean Thomas was dreaming about Quidditch in his four-poster, and Seamus Finnigan was sleeping soundlessly in his. Harry and Ron climbed into their beds and fell asleep quickly  
  
The next morning Harry got up a little late and went downstairs for breakfast. He got there just in time to grab a piece of toast and follow Ron and Hermione to their first class, Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. Harry like Herbology, it was one of the classes that he wasn't bored to death, yelled at or had no idea what he was doing. This class was taught by the stout witch who lead the first years across the lake the day before, Professor Sprout, she was showing the class a really nasty look flower called Totallia, when the bell rang for the next class.  
  
Harry and the rest of the Gryffindors made their way to the History of Magic class, which was taught by their only ghost teacher, Professor Binns, whose voice could put anyone to sleep. Professor Binns droned on and on reviewing medieval witch burnings and all of the class, except Hermione was just about to fall asleep when the bell sounded loudly for lunch. Harry was glad that it was lunch, because the piece of toast he had that morning wasn't enough to get him through History of Magic and now is stomach was growling. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat talking about things and eating as much food as possible when they noticed that they had Care of Magical Creature next.  
  
"I wonder how well Professor Callahan teaches the class. He didn't really look like he could handle some of the creature we have seen." Ron said.  
  
"Yeah, but Ron you have admit, not many other people could either." Hermione said, Harry knew what she was talking about, Hagrid, their usual Care of Magical Creatures teacher, had a fascination which monster. They had meet the third headed dog, that he bought off an Irish fellow, their first year, along with Norbert the Dragon he tried to rise in his small wooden hut on the edge of the forest, among other strange creatures throughout the years. "Where is the class going to be, Ron? Is it still by Hagrid's hut or are we in a classroom this year?" Hermione asked Ron. Ron looked down at the paper and back up quickly.  
  
"Still by Hagrid's hut." Said Ron. The three of them were finished with their lunch they head towards Hagrid's hut a little early. When they got their they saw Professor Callahan running around making sure everything was in the right place for his first class. As Harry, Ron and Hermione walked up to Professor Callahan, he didn't even notice them. Harry took a step toward  
  
"Professor..."  
  
"Aaahhhh." Professor Callahan jumped and them looked at them. "Oh my dear, you frighten me there." He took a deep breath. "Please don't sneak up on me like that."  
  
"Err, Professor I'm sorry. Just wanted to know if you need any help." Said Harry with a half smile.  
  
"What? Oh no... no." He looked around at the little boxes that were scattered across the grass. "I have everything under control." A few minutes later, Professor Callahan was still running around from box to box nervously as the rest of the class walked down to where Harry, Ron and Hermione stood. They had Care of Magical Creature with the Slytherins and that was the one thing Harry ever hated about the class, except sometimes the Creature Hagrid paraded in front of them. Harry turned and saw Malfoy and his two goons walking down the hill.  
  
"Potter! Looks like they got ridge of that half giant freak of yours." Malfoy laughed coldly, but Harry just ignored them. When they were all there Professor Callahan began the lesson.  
  
"Good you are all here. Today I am going to show you a rather interesting creature. This creature is half plant and half animal. I already spoke with Professor Sprout and she told me that you guys are not going to cover this particular creature in her class, so I decide that I will. This Creature is called the Alagorious Flower. It is like the Venus Fly Trap but much, much more furious. You will have to watch you fingers around these flowers." He smiled and then picked up a box and underneath it was a very beautiful flower that looked kind of like a rose sitting in a flowerpot. Professor Callahan pulled out a dead rat from his pocket and threw it at the ground next to it. Then something shocking happened, the flower open what looked like its mouth, and it had hundreds of little sharp teeth, and violently grabbed the death rat, then began to eat it. Everyone jumped back a couple of feet. "For the rest of the term we will be learning how to care for these creatures and you will get full scores it ours is still alive at the end of the term."  
  
When the class was finally finished Harry, Ron and Hermione were done for the day and they gladly walked back up to their common room, collapsed into chairs when they reach it. "I think all Care of Magical Creature teacher love monsters, not just Hagrid." Ron squeaked and they all laughed. The week was almost end when on Friday they had double Defense Against the Dark Arts and double Potions; Harry wasn't looking forward to it.  
  
Friday morning found Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Gryffindors sitting in their first Defense Against the Dark Arts of the year. Professor Smith was about five minutes late, but when she came a cold breeze seemed to enter the class with her. She was dressed in black robes that made her pale sink look even paler. Her icy eyes wandered over the class looking at everyone then she glance at a piece of parchment. "Good. Everyone is here." Her slow cold voice gave Harry the chills. "I am sorry for my lateness but I was in a conversation with Professor Snape about a certain potion. Well this year we are going to learn about magical Amulets and Talismans that defends you again dark spell and enchantments, and towards the end of the year we will review everything you have had over the last four years, and I will correct any mistakes your other teachers taught you." Hermione smiled hard at Professor Smith has she went on.  
  
"Does any of you know of a particular amulet or Talisman that will defend you against a dark attack?" asked Professor Smith and to no ones surprise Hermione's hand was held high in the air. "Mrs.... ah... Granger."  
  
"Yes. There is the Rose Stone." Said Hermione with a smile.  
  
"Yes a very common Talisman. The Rose Stone, when held in the right hand is very affective against dark enchantment in duels." She said as she unlocked a trunk in the corner of the room, which as full of different types of amulets and talismans, and pulled out a dark red stone which seemed to look like a flower. "This is a Rose Stone. It feels warm to the touch." She handed it to Neville Longbottom and then added. "And you cannot break it by dropping it." Just then Neville tried to hand it to the Dean Thomas who was sitting next to him, but dropped it.  
  
Harry thought of the oddest thing. That was the second time that he noticed, that Professor Smith had known someone before it happened. He whispered his suspicion to Ron and Ron just looked at him, "Don't be silly Harry. You're just a little suspicion since the other night and anyway everyone knows that Neville will drop whatever he is giving." Ron said, and then turned his attention back to Professor Smith. Was he being silly, or did he have reason to believe that Professor Smith could see the future? Harry thought about it but his attention was brought back to the class as Professor Smith asked if someone knew another amulet or talisman. Hermione's hand into the air one more time, but Professor Smith didn't choice her.  
  
"Why don't we have someone else give one? Okay." Hermione's hand came back down slowly, but no one else would raise their hand. "Oh come on. You are not telling me that none of you know any." To Harry's, and almost everyone else in the class, surprise Ron raised his hand. "Yes. Mr. Weasley?"  
  
"I am not sure if this is actually one or if my brothers were joking with me, but the unicorn tear." Said Ron, to everyone's surprise.  
  
"Yes the unicorn tear is a blue stone shape in a tear. There is only one own to exist. This particular stone has the able to heal all wounds and it also makes the person who wears it immortal, but there is only one caught gentlemen, only women can wear it." All the girls in the class started to giggle. The rest of the class went by quickly, everyone seemed to love Professor Smith as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.  
  
Everyone started to pack up and leave as a big black dog trotted into the room. When everyone but Harry had left, Professor Smith started to walk out of the classroom, but stopped next to the dog. "Sirius." She said to him disdainfully and the dog watched her as she left. Harry went to the door and closed it so that Sirius could turn into human form and when he did, Harry started to ask him all the questions that were floating around in his head.  
  
"Sirius! Where have you been?" Harry hugged Sirius. "Do you know Professor Smith?" Sirius laughed a little.  
  
"Do I know Alex? Does anyone know Alex would be a better question? She keeps to herself a lot. She went here the same year as your father and I, she was in Slytherin House and was the only friend Snape really had. There was a rumor floating around school that she was a vampire, because no one every really saw her outside and with everything else about her... Well they helped the rumor around." Sirius shuttered for a second. "She always gave your father and I the creeps. There is something very odd about her. It sometimes seems that she could tell the future, but then sometimes she can't." Sirius laughed nervously and then noticed what time I was. "I think you should be getting into the Great Hall for lunch before potions." He said and then turned back into a dog. Harry opened the door and the large dog walked him all the way to the doors of the Great Hall.  
  
Harry found Ron and Hermione towards the end of the Gryffindor's table and joined them, but he really wasn't hungry as he thought about what Sirius just told him. On their way to Potions Harry told Ron and Hermione about Professor Smith. They were discussing it we they stopped just outside the potions classroom. Snape was yelling at someone who was in the classroom with him. "I think Dumbledore should have kicked you three out before you arrived this year, but here you are making more trouble. You will leave Professor Smith alone or you will be kicked out. If I heard you doing anything to her again I will do it. I don't care who your fathers' are or who they serve. I am the head of Slytherin house and I can kick you out..." Snape was interrupted by a familiar voice.  
  
"But Professor, what if I let it slip to say Harry Potter about what you have burned into you arm right now." Malfoy threaten Snape. "You know that I would do it, you traitor."  
  
"How dare you. I don't care what you do. It won't make a difference, except get you expelled from Hogwarts and who would want you then, not being proper wizard and all. Besides..." Snape stop as he heard the noisy crowd of Gryffindors walking down the corridor for the Potions class. Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were all looking at each other, didn't move until the rest of the Gryffindors got closer. They stepped into the classroom to see Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle sitting in seat at the front of the class Professor Snape was standing by his desk, with an angry look on his face, and Professor Smith standing behind him. She saw the three of them and headed for the door then stopped and stood next to Harry.  
  
"Don't say a word about that." She whispered then walked out the door as the rest of the Gryffindors walked into. Harry, Ron and Hermione look at each in shock. How could she have known they were listening? 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five: Dreams and the Quidditch Team  
  
At the end of the day, the three of them found their way up to the Gryffindor tower through a haze of questions. They found a place in their common room and began to talk it all over. All their questions came out like, Why was Snape yelling at Malfoy? What was Malfoy doing to Professor Smith? How did Professor Smith know that they had over heard the conversation? "You know what I think about people who say they can see the future," said Hermione in a know-it-all tone. "I just do think that it is possible."  
  
"Well, then how do you explain how she knew that we where outside the room listening to the conversation?" asked Ron with a puzzled look on his face.  
  
"She might have seen someone just outside the door, and we were the first ones who came into the class. We don't know where in the classroom she was before we came into the room. Anyway, if she could really see the future, then why didn't she stop us from listening to the conversation? She would have known that we would be there before we heard anything." Added Hermione.  
  
"I don't care if she can or not. The woman just gives me the creeps." Said Ron loudly as Fred and George walked up to them.  
  
"Are you talking about Professor Smith?" asked Fred. They both sat down in seats near the whispering three. Ron nodded and the two boys smiled at each other.  
  
"What?" said Ron with a suspicious look.  
  
"We like her. We heard that she is a vampire or something like that." Said George. Harry, Ron and Hermione smiled at each and then at Fred and George.  
  
"Oh please you guys. She can't be a vampire." Hermione piped in. "We don't care if she is or not. I just like how she can scare people just by looking at them." Said George. "Those eyes are just so creepy..." He was interrupted by a loud sounds coming from the fireplace. All of them turned to look, and saw one of the first years, which have tried to enchant something, had soot covering his face. Not waiting to miss a opportunity to be the center of attention, Fred and George got up and ran over to the crowd that was building around the unfortunate first year, but before the three of them could get up and come to the rescue of the first year, the portrait hole flew open and Lee Jordan came flying in whispered something to the Weasley twins. The three of them left all with evil grins on their faces. Harry knew that he should go and find out what they were up to but he really didn't care right then.  
  
Harry began to play with the ring just under his clothes again. Hermione watched Harry anxiously. "Harry why don't you let me look up that ring to see if it really has some protective powers?" asked Hermione. Harry looked at her nodded and taking off the chain gave it to Hermione.  
  
The weeks rolled on, and Harry wasn't thinking about anything but his class work until one week in the beginning of October. When, one morning at breakfast, Fred and George Weasley told him about a meeting for the Quidditch team that was going to take place that night, just after dinner. Harry went through the whole day thinking of nothing else and when the meeting finally came he was so excited he couldn't sit still. The six player of the Gryffindor team were all piled into Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration classroom when Fred stood up to speak.  
  
"There are two very important thing that we must consider before we start the season this year." This was the most serious Harry had every seen Fred. "First we must all vote on who will be the next captain of the team and then we must find another Keeper to take the place of Olive." As the serious Fred spoke George was passing out little pieces of parchment a quills, to everyone. "You will write the name of the person you want to be captain on the parchment and then place in it this cap. Then we will count the votes." Both Fred and George sat down and started to write the name of the person they wanted to be captain on the paper, but Harry just sat their for a moment. He hadn't really thought about who he wanted to be captain. He glanced from person to person trying to pick, but he still couldn't think of one person. They were all good. How could he pick just one? It wasn't until he noticed that everyone else had made their decisions, put the piece of parchment into the cap and where now staring at him, at he quickly wrote the first name that came to him down on the parchment. "Angelina Johnson."  
  
He placed the piece of parchment into the cap and Fred got it with one hand. Then started pulling the names out of the hat and read them aloud. "Harry Potter... Harry Potter... Harry Potter..." Harry sat there shocked as his name was read more than once. "Harry Potter... Harry Potter... Angelina Johnson." Both Harry's and Angelina's face went bright red has the last name was read.  
  
"Thanks Harry." She said with a giggle.  
  
"Well then Harry it looks like it is almost unanimous. Well except for Harry voting for Angelina." Fred broke out in laughter and the serious look on his face was gone. "So captain my captain, what are we going to do about finding a Keeper?" Harry still in shock that he had just been voted captain of the Gryffindor team sat staring at the rest of his teammates not knowing what to say. "Harry... Are you in there, Harry."  
  
"Oh yes... Thanks first of all. I would have never thought that I would be the captain." And he still couldn't. "Well about the Keeper I think we should hold tryouts. Starting on Friday after lessons and ending on Sunday before dinner, so that we can get started with practices as soon as possible." Everyone smiled at him as they all agreed with their new captain. Harry talked a bit longer before they all went back to the Gryffindor common room to find it almost full. Harry placed the sign-up sheet that they had made during the meeting, up on the bulletin board. When he stepped away from it a swarm of he hurried over to look at what it was. Harry made his way to where the rest of the Quidditch team was sitting before turning around to notice that people were franticly trying to write their name down.  
  
A couple moment later Harry notice Ron, who was now fighting his way out of the crowd and over to him. "Ron are you going to tryout for Keeper?" asked Fred. Ron walked towards them and nodded with a smile. Then he turned to Harry.  
  
"I heard that you are the new captain Harry congratulations. I hope I get to be the new Keeper." Said Ron with and excited voice.  
  
Harry opened his mouth to say something, but there came a suddenly pain shooting through his scar, and he fell to the ground. Images passed through his mind, he saw the figure of Voldemort surrounded by his Death Eaters, and they were all laughing with cruel, cold laugh. Then Harry saw the small figure of a young girl laying on the found at Voldemort's feet, shaking in the pain of the Cruciatus Cruse. A moment later the curse ended and the girl got up slowly and stood face to face with Voldemort. Harry noticed that she was just as tall as Voldemort was.  
  
"Are you ready to stop now and obey me?" said Voldemort in his high, cold voice. A cruel smile stretched across his face as he stared as the girl.  
  
"Never!" Said the girl as she straighten up to stand tall and proud. Harry realized that the girl that stood face to face with Voldemort was Cassandra. "You will have to do better than that!" said Cassandra as she swayed a little as through she was trying every hard just to stand.  
  
"Fine!" said Voldemort and the smile disappeared as an expression of pure fury replaced it. "If that is what you want, but I will break you, my dear. You will be one of my faithful servants before long." Voldemort raised his wand and then. "Cruico!" Cassandra was on the ground once again twitching in pain.  
  
The images of Voldemort, the Death Eaters, and Cassandra faded away as the pain in his scar faded as well. He found himself in the hospital wing; it was dark in the wing, which told Harry that he had been out for a long time. How long had it been? Harry reached to his bedside table and grabbed his glassed. Putting them on he looked around and found Sirius, in human form, sitting in a chair next to Harry's bed with his head on the bed, sleeping. Harry reached out and touched Sirius' hand, and as he did Sirius shot straight up with a shock expression.  
  
"Harry!" Sirius yelled so loudly it made Harry's sore head ache a little more. "You are alright." Sirius hugged Harry so tightly that Harry couldn't breath, but Harry loved it. He had never really been hugged in that way before, as thought someone really cared if he was alive, it was worth the pain that he had felt earlier.  
  
"Harry." Said the voice of Dumbledore as he walked up the wing towards them, he was walking to quietly that Harry didn't even hear him come into the hospital wing. There was an expression of great worry on his face that melted quickly into the same smiling expression that Harry had always seen, the warm smile and the sparkling blue eyes made Harry feel a little better somehow. "We are glad to see that you are feeling better my dear boy."  
  
"Yes we certainly are!" said Sirius quickly.  
  
"You had us worrying for hours about you." Said Dumbledore. " In fact Madam Pomfrey had to chase Ron, Hermione and your teammates out of the wing a few hours ago so that she could work. She was getting tiered of tripping over all of them. You have been unconscious for five hours Harry."  
  
"What?" Harry felt has though someone had just hit him in the stomach and he couldn't breath. "But before when my scar hurt like that I was only out for a couple of minutes. Why would I been out for five hour?" He looked from Dumbledore to Sirius and back again, but it seemed that neither of them knew the answer to that. Harry could see it in their expressions. Harry left suddenly dizzy so he lay back down, closing his eyes, Sirius noticed this and the worried look came back over his face making him look darker and older.  
  
"Alright there Harry?" asked Sirius. He didn't wait for an answer; he got up and rushed to get Madam Pomfrey from her small office at the other end of the wing. As Sirius disappeared into the office Dumbledore walked up to the bed and sat down in the chair where Sirius had been. He reached out and touched Harry's hand lightly, then smiled. Harry opened his eyes, seeing Dumbledore, smiled back.  
  
"Harry?" Dumbledore lowered his voice. "Did you have a vision of Voldemort this time?" Asked Dumbledore, as he knew about the other times when Harry's scar had hurt him, and the other visions that he had had before. Harry nodded slightly and Dumbledore's face became grave.  
  
"Cassandra." Harry whispered hoarsely. "He was torturing her. He wanted to on his side to do his work, but what I don't understand is how. If she didn't go to a wizarding school then she doesn't know any magic, so why?"  
  
"Just because someone doesn't go to a school, doesn't mean that they don't know magic Harry, it is just that they can't get a wizard job in the wizarding world, except with dark wizards." said Dumbledore with an odd expression that Harry couldn't quite read. "The fact is Harry that there is something so important about Cassandra that Voldemort would kidnap her." Dumbledore stood up and headed for the door, but turned quickly and said. "Harry if you want to talk to me about anything you just come to my office. It will always be open." He finished talking just as Sirius and Madam Pomfrey came out of the office and rushed up to him. Harry watched Dumbledore leave the hospital wing just as quietly as he had entered. Madam Pomfrey made a big fuse over Harry for about a half an hour before leaving him and returning to her office. Harry fell back to sleep with Sirius watching over him until the sun rose.  
  
When Harry woke up in the day it was already mid-morning and Ron and Hermione had already taken their places next to Harry's bed waiting for him to wake up. They were whispering between each other trying not to wake him in fear of what Madam Pomfrey would do to them, but when they notice that Harry was awake there came a cry of relief from the both of them and they talking very loudly and very quickly. Harry could hardly keep up with the two of them, when one stopped talking the other would pick up where they had left off. When they both had stopped talking Harry was dizzy with information and having to turn his head between the two of them when they switched speakers. They had told Harry how everyone watched as Harry grabbed his scar and fell to the floor in pain. Then the other prefects of the house ran out and got Professor McGonagall. They had taken him to the hospital wing. The whole house wanted to come with them, but Professor McGonagall told everyone to go to bed, but Ron, Hermione and the Quidditch team had sneaked out to the Hospital wing and by the time Professor McGonagall had noticed, she told them that they could stay for a while. They watched Harry for a couple of hour as he lay there on the bed still grabbing at his scar. After a while Madam Pomfrey had kicked them out. They returned to the commons room to find everyone still up and in the commons room really worried about him.  
  
"But you should see the sign-up list for tryouts Harry!" said Ron in an excited tone. "It is completely full. It looks like everyone wants to tryout for the team. Even a few first years signed up before Fred and George told them that first years couldn't be on the house team, except for special circumstances." Ron smiled at Harry. Harry had been just a first year student when he started playing on the Gryffindor's House team as its seeker. He had been the youngest seeker in a century and had helped his team win the Quidditch cup in the last championship two years before (last year the Quidditch games were canceled because of the Triwizard Tournament). Harry noticed that Hermione was looking a Ron with a flash of anger. Ron must of noticed too because his face had gone bright red, and he stopped talking.  
  
"So Harry how are you doing?" asked Hermione with a smile. Harry told them about the vision, but he left out what Dumbledore said to him, for some reason he had a strong feeling that he shouldn't say anything about it. The two of them sat silently in their chairs thinking about what Harry told them, but they couldn't say anything in return. They too had the same question burning in their heads, the same question Harry had.  
  
When Harry returned to classes the next day the rumor of what had happened in the Gryffindor tower had spread over the whole school and everyone was treating Harry as if he were made of glass. Everyone that is except Malfoy, who had found it funny that Harry, was in pain. Every time Harry would see Malfoy he would be in the middle of a crowd of Slytherins, grabbing his forehead and twitching a little, as thought he was Harry. The days went by; by the time Friday came most of the kids had forgot about Harry's little incident and went on his their schoolwork.  
  
Harry was looking forward to the tryouts, which would start just after dinner, but he still had to go through the days classes and the thing that he was not looking forward to was the double potions class after lunch. The day seemed to go by pretty quickly thought Harry as he, Ron and Hermione talked into the Great Hall for lunch.  
  
"I just can't wait for tryouts!" cried Ron as he piled four sandwiches on his plate.  
  
"What day did you sign up for Ron?" asked Harry.  
  
"Sunday. I wanted to be the last person to tryout." Said Ron. "I won't be so nervous if I am the last person, that way I can see how good the others are and try to do better than them." Ron had a nervous smile as he looked at Harry, as thought he was already nervous two days before.  
  
"That is a very good idea, Ron." Said Hermione as she took a bite of her sandwich. The three of them talked about their classes they had had that day and the potions class which they were about to go to. Trying to delay the agony of potions as long as they could so they waited for the last minute before heading down to the dungeons where their potions classroom was. When they stepped into the room a little later, they were excepting Snape to start yelling at them and at least five points taken away from the Gryffindor House, but when they looked up Snape was nowhere in sight, to their surprise Professor Smith stood behind Snape's desk and seemed to be saying something to the class.  
  
"Professor Snape has been called away from the school for a couple of days so I will be conducting his classes until he returns." Professor Smith turned her head quickly and glared at Malfoy, who was whispering to his two goons, and said. "Don't even think about it." Her cold voice was full of anger. The three boys looked shocked, and Harry smiled. "Just because Professor Snape is gone doesn't mean that you are on vacation. The Professor's rules stand. Every rule!" She gave the three Slytherin boy a threaten look as thought to warn them off trying to do anything. The room became silent. Harry could left an aura of power coming from Alexandra that reminded himself of Dumbledore, only at Alexandra's power felt so cold almost evil. "I have Professor Snape's lesson plans and they go up to Christmas break."  
  
The class went by slowly but amazingly without anything going wrong, even Neville did everything right. When it was finally over everyone wandered out of the classroom in a haze and it wasn't until Harry had reached the Gryffindor tower that he remembered that the keeper tryouts were due to start just after dinner. Harry entered the common room and there was a nervous air as everyone was running to and fro trying to get ready for his or her tryout. People would come up to him every now and then to ask him for some tips about the tryouts. Finally after having over half of the people in Gryffindor house ask him question he escape the nervous students and slipped out of the common room heading for the Great Hall to find the rest of the team. When he entered the Great Hall he found the rest of the team at their table talking excitedly to one another about the tryouts. Fred and George were taking bets on who would actually get the position and to Harry's surprise most of them thought that Ron was going to be a shoe in. "It runs in the family." Said Fred to the rest of the team, but Harry wasn't going to bet. He tried to keep an open mind about the other people, even though secretly he hoped that Ron would be as good as everyone had thought.  
  
After everyone had finished dinner the members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team rushed to their tower grabbing their Quidditch stuff they rushed out to the field to find everyone from Gryffindor had showed up to watch the tryouts, but what really surprised the team is that some people from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were also there to watch the tryouts. This was the first time Harry had noticed Cho Chang, she was sitting with a group of Ravenclaws talking happily. Suddenly she looked up and saw Harry standing there looking at her, so she stood up and walked towards him.  
  
"Hello Harry." Said Cho with a slightly sad tone. "I am glad that you are the new captain for the Gryffindor team." She smiled at him but it was a melancholy smile. She was still upset over Cedric's death as Harry was, but it seemed to Harry that the sight of him caused her to be even more upset, and that hurt Harry greater than anything Malfoy could say to him.  
  
"Thanks." Said Harry with a sad tone now as well. They stood together in an odd silence before Harry spoke up. "Well Cho I have to go and do the tryouts I hope you have fun watching." He smiled and encouraging smiled at her and she smiled back at him. Harry quickly joined the rest of the team as they began to start the first of the tryouts.  
  
"Okay everyone this is how it is going to go." Said Harry, talking loudly to that everyone could hear him. "First the Chasers and going to start shooting the Quaffle and you will have to stop it. Then you will move on to having the Beaters will come out and we will let out the Bludgers. After everyone has had a chance to tryout then we will announce the new Keeper on Sunday after dinner." They started the tryouts with Colin Creevey. He did rather well with just the Chasers shooting the Quaffle, but when the Bludgers were let out Colin seemed to be to busy tried to get away from a stray Bludger that he didn't pay attention to the Quaffle and when he final was back on the ground Harry noticed that Colin was shaking with shock. For the rest of the day and the next they watched the others tryout for Keeper and they all went something like Colin's tryout.  
  
Finally Sunday came and the crowds at the Quidditch field had lessened slowly over the last day as people finished their tryouts. Harry was happy that it was Sunday because it was the last day of tryouts and Ron turn was coming up. There had been a couple of promising people on Saturday, among them was Dean Thomas and today they had already seen a couple of six years that were pretty good as well.  
  
When it was Ron's turn the team was excited to see what he could do, but Ron was so nervous that he was becoming sick, as he past the team to get one of the brooms that were out for the people trying out for the team, they could see that he was turning almost green. Fred shouted something encouraging to Ron but it didn't seem to help. Which the Chasers started to throw the Quaffle it seemed to them that Ron was never going to make the team. He really could block Quaffle any of the times that the Chaser threw them and on the ground Harry look at Fred and George. They had looks of disappointment on their faces; the three of them couldn't believe what they were seeing. They all knew that Ron was a lot better than this, all the times that Ron had practiced with them. Why wasn't he playing like he had many times at the Burrow. Harry stopped the Chasers and let out the Bludgers reluctantly, but when he did Ron seemed to come to life. The Bludgers took Ron's mind off his nervousness just long enough for him to block every single attempt to get the Quaffle through the goals. Harry smiled there was the Ron that he knew.  
  
When they all went to dinner that night everyone was busy talking about who would be Keeper for Gryffindor that no one, but Harry noticed that Professor Snape was still not there, and that there was a worried look on Professor Smith's face. When was Snape supposed to be back and what was he doing? Thought Harry. He was still thinking about the question when George nudged Harry so hard that he almost fell over.  
  
"Come on Professor McGonagall is letting us use her classroom to make a decision about who is going to be Keeper." Said George and motioned for Harry. They were the first people to leave the Great Hall and as they did a wave of excited whispers seemed to go from table to table. They walked to Professor McGonagall's Transfigurations classroom in totally silence. Everyone was thinking about whom he or she wanted to be Keeper. Harry was torn between a couple of people and started to feel guilty because his first choice wasn't Ron it was Dean Thomas. Harry didn't think Ron was as good at Dean in the first part, but Ron was a little better than Dean in the second. Harry was glad that they were going to talk about it before they had a vote.  
  
"I maintain my first opinion." Said Fred. "I think that Ron should be the Keeper."  
  
"You are only saying that because he is your brother and you are play favorites." Said Angelina loudly. "Did you even see how he did in the first part?" The rest of the Chasers agreed with Angelina.  
  
"No I am not playing favorites." Said Fred angrily. "And did you see him when the Bludgers were released? He started to play very well, and that is a lot more than I can say with the others. Right George?"  
  
"Yup." Said George just as loud as his brother.  
  
Fred's word made the three girls stop and think about what Fred was saying and slowly they agreed with Fred. Then they all looked at Harry. "What do you think Harry?" Fred's voice came through Harry's thoughts as he was going over Ron's tryout in his mind.  
  
"I don't know. I agree with both of the arguments. I am still thinking." Said Harry.  
  
"Oh come on Harry. You are his best friend. You can't honestly be thinking of anyone else." Said George that made Harry mad. Of course Harry was Ron's best friend how could anyone claim that he was anything else.  
  
"Yes I am his best friend, but I am also the captain of this team and how would it look if Ron was picked with his best friend as captain and he wasn't the best for the position. Do you want that over Ron's head? People saying he only got the position because his best friend and two brothers were on the team." Fred and George looked at Harry with odd expressions.  
  
"We didn't even think about that." Said George. "But he did really good with the Bludgers out. Better than anyone else, and that is what we need. We don't need someone who can't concentrate when the Bludgers are out."  
  
"Okay. Lets all just think about everything for about five minutes and then we will put it to a vote." Said Harry and everyone was silent think. While Harry was thinking he came to the conclusion that George was right. Ron did do the best with the Bludgers and that is what counts. He turned to start the vote when he notice that the door was open a crack and someone was standing just outside the door staring at him. He was just about to say something when he notice that it was Professor Smith, she looked as though she wanted to talk to Harry.  
  
"Harry are you ready?" Asked Angelina. Harry turned quickly to them and noticed that they were all staring at him.  
  
"Yes I am ready." Said Harry as he turned back to look at the door but Professor Smith was gone. "Okay lets just take a vote of hands. Who is voting for Ron?" Just as he said this everyone's hand flew into the air. "Well I guess we have a new Keeper." Harry smiled and everyone stood up talking excitedly about the year ahead. "Well then I guess we shall start practices this week." They were leaving the classroom when Harry notice that Professor Smith was standing at the other end of the corridor watching them leave. The rest of the team started towards the Gryffindor tower but Harry stay behind watching Professor Smith standing that the other end of the corridor. When Harry noticed that they others were nowhere in sight he headed towards Professor Smith and as he did Professor Smith turned and walked down another corridor. She stayed just ahead of Harry so that he could see which way she was going. Finally after walking what seemed forever Harry began to hear voices just ahead of him. Harry recognized Professor Smith's cold voice and the other voice was... Malfoy.  
  
"Professor Snape is no longer here to protect you Alex." Said Malfoy and to Harry's surprise he seemed to be talking to her if he knew her before. "I would have never believed that you of all people to go to the other side."  
  
"Well my young Malfoy I guess you and your father don't know me as well as you thought. No matter how close your father thinks he is to the middle he as no idea. You and your father has never really know what was going on, and I am not going to take anything form you little punk." Said Professor Smith with her cold voice.  
  
"What if I tell Dumbledore about own friend and how you were one of his greatest supporters before he disappeared. About how you were secret and didn't get a mark on your arm, because of your special relationship with him and his family." Threaten Malfoy. Family... Harry thought. If he was really talking about Voldemort then what family did he have? "Should I go to Dumbledore?" There was a sudden burst of cold laughter from Professor Smith.  
  
"You don't honestly think that Dumbledore doesn't know about everything that is happening or has happened, you silly little boy. You are so arrogant that you can't see things that are right in front of your face." Said Professor Smith as Harry peaked around the corner to see the Professor towering over Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle with the same powerful aura as she had in the potions class. Malfoy's face was twisted in anger.  
  
"Fine, but I don't think that the precious Harry Potter knows anything about all of this. What if I tell him about it and exactly who Cassandra is, I don't think he well be to happy about that." The smiled disappeared from her face and a very serious look replaced it.  
  
"Listen to me boy. I don't like being threatened by a little twit like you and if you do anything I will make it my personal goal to see that your life is a living hell. And you know that I can do it." A cold chill went though the corridor and there was a dark look to Smith. The three boys shrank back form the Professor. "Do you understand me?" The three boys nodded. "Good now leave." The three boys rushed down the corridor and out of sight. Smith turned to walk up the corridor when she noticed Harry was peaking around the corner.  
  
"What are you doing here Harry." Said Smith with a note of surprise in her voice.  
  
"I was following you down the corridor. I thought you wanted to talk to me." Said Harry.  
  
"What are you talking about Harry? I didn't come from that way." They both looked at each other with questioning looks. "Harry? When you were following me did I talk to you at all?"  
  
"No, you were always just ahead of me, no matter how much I tried to catch up to you." Said Harry and there suddenly appear a shocked and worried expression on her face. "What is the matter Professor?"  
  
"Nothing... err... Harry you need to get back to you dormitory before people start to worry about you. Anyways do you have an announcement to make?" She forced a smile and then walked on down the corridor. 


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six: Footsteps  
  
Harry hurried along the corridor and when he got to the Fat Lady whispered the password to her, as she swung open Harry could hear the commotion of the commons room and when he talked into the common room everything seemed to grow louder than it was before. Fred and George rushed over to him pushing their way through the crowd of people.  
  
"Harry where have you been?" Said Fred.  
  
"Yeah you didn't come with us after we left the Transfigurations class room." Added George.  
  
"I stopped to talking with Professor Smith real fast." Said Harry with a smile as Ron and Hermione pushed their way through the crowd and now were standing beside him looking at him with worried expressions. Harry wanted to talk to them, but before he could even open his mouth he was pulled into the middle of the crowd by Fred with George holding him to make sure he didn't escape. When they stopped he found himself standing in the middle of a circle of them teammates.  
  
"Okay can we have you attention?" Yelled George "Harry is about to tell you all who the lucky person is." Then every eye in the common room was fixed on Harry.  
  
"Well we have gone over everyone's tryouts and we have chosen someone you was the best when it counted." It seemed as thought everyone in the room held their breath. "And the new Keeper of the Gryffindor's Quidditch team is... Ron Weasley." There was another explosion of sound and everyone was clapping loudly. When Harry found Ron he saw that Ron's mouth was hanging open speechless and his face was the same color as his hair, bright red. Everyone congratulated Ron and then started up the small party that some people had planned for whoever became the Keeper.  
  
When Harry finally got Ron alone, he told Ron and Hermione about what happened after the team decided that Ron was Keeper. Most of the people had gone to their beds when Harry had finished tell them every detail of what both Malfoy and Smith had said. Both Ron and Hermione were looking at Harry with shocked expressions and it took them a while before they could say anything. Hermione was the first to speak.  
  
"Well we knew that Snape was a Death Eater and now he is a teacher and helping Dumbledore, so it could be the same with Professor Smith." Said Hermione.  
  
"Yeah and anyone who doesn't like Malfoy is cool with me." Said Ron who was still spinning from becoming the Keeper.  
  
"Yeah but the one thing I want to know is what Malfoy meant by family?" Said Harry. "If she was actually talking about Voldemort, then what family would he have? Did he mean 'family' family or is he talking about his followers being his family?"  
  
"I don't think that Voldemort ever had a family, like mother and father, because we all know that his mother died when he was little and his father abandoned him to the orphanage. I have never heard or read anything that said that he had brothers or sisters, and I can't imagine him having a wife or having children. Can you?" Said Hermione. "Don't you think if he did have a kid that everyone would know about it as the heir to a dark empire and all?"  
  
"You know she has a point, Harry." Said Ron. "I guess that Malfoy meant the Death Eaters as his family. You know the Malfoy's they are a little crazy like that."  
  
"Yeah but I wish I knew actually what Malfoy was talking about." Said Harry with a look of worry on his face. Hermione felt that he was getting really worried about this and so she tried to give him a little peace of mind.  
  
"Well as Professor Smith said, Dumbledore know everything that is going on and everything that has happened, so don't worry about it too much Harry." She smiled at him, but it seemed that Harry was paying attention; he was to deep in thought.  
  
"And another thing, what was Malfoy talking about when he said 'exactly who Cassandra is'? How does he know Cassandra?" Said Harry. "I already know that she is my cousin. Why does it seemed that everyone else know more about me than I do." Harry had an angry tone in his voice, which scared Ron and Hermione. They had never seen Harry get angry like that. Harry couldn't explain why he was getting so angry, he just was, and that scared him more than almost anything else.  
  
"Err... Harry, I think we should be getting to bed it is rather late and we have class tomorrow. If it makes you feel better I will write my father and ask him about Professor Smith. Okay?" Said Ron. Harry didn't disagree. The three of them went upstairs. Harry was walking just ahead of the other two thinking. Why did he get so mad over so little as that?  
  
When Harry finally fell asleep he began to dream. He really hadn't dreamt about anything since that dream he had in the summer at the Dursleys'. At first the dream was unclear, he was in a dark room with only one window, which had bars on it, as if he were in a prison cell. Moonlight slanted through the window and collected in a pool of light on the floor, that was the only light in the room. The corners were all swallowed by deep shadows. Harry stood in the middle of the room squinting into the dark, trying to see what was beyond the light, but there was nothing there. He was completely alone in this small room. He stood there in silence for what seemed an eternity, when he heard voices coming from his right. A moment later a door opened flooding the room with a dull light from the hallway. Just beyond the door he could see two tall figures, which seemed to be dragging a person into the room. When the men came closer he saw that they weren't men at all, but Dementors. Harry began to be a little dizzy while the two Dementors threw the small figure of a person into the room and slamming the door, left. The person lay on the floor unmoving as the dizziness left Harry and he was still standing there just staring at the small figure. He wanted to go over and help the person up, but he found that he couldn't move from the spot where he was standing, so all he could do is just watch as the figure, who was now struggling to sit up. The figure made on sound and when it finally got to a sitting position, it seemed to push itself deep into the shadows and started to cry a little. As the figure cried Harry could tell that the person was a woman and he knew who it might be.  
  
"Cassandra?" Gasped Harry.  
  
"I am sorry Harry... I didn't mean to... He is too strong." Said Cassandra in a weak voice. Harry wanted to run to her and help her get out of this cell but he was still stuck. "I am sorry Harry... I didn't mean to... too strong." She kept repeating. He struggle to get free of whatever was holding him in that spot when everything around him started to fade and moments later he was in total darkness, but he could still hear Cassandra's weak voice crying. "I'm sorry Harry."  
  
He woke up just as the sun was coming up over the mountains that made the sky look as though it was on fire. Slowly he got dressed and headed for the common room. It was completely empty and the embers of the fire from the night before were still burning faintly in the fireplace. He sat in a chair in front of the fireplace staring into the it watching the embers slowly die away, thinking. He was tired, not a physical kind of tired, but more like a soul kind of tired, about everything that was going on, about how he became famous, everything about his life. He wanted so much right that moment for his mother to be there, for her to hug her and tell him that everything was going to be all right, he would give everything for that, but it wasn't going to happen and he knew it. That was what hurt so much, as he watched, everyday, the other kids as they went happily along their way, that they knew if anything ever went really wrong that their mother and father would be there to help them out, to comfort them, to protect them.  
  
Harry never knew that certainty in his entire life. He always had to depend on his self, even when he was at the Dursleys', and that was what made him so tired, and at that moment he wanted to stop fighting. He wanted to rest, but was afraid if he did something much worst than him just feeling tired would happened, and it was that fear that pushed Harry to stand up and walk out of the portrait hole. Harry didn't know exactly were he was going until he was there, standing just outside the hidden entrance to Dumbledore's office. He whispered the password in a weak voice, and entered the staircase. When he realized that he was standing before the door to Dumbledore's office, he went to knock on the door, but before Harry's hand hit the wood the door opened to find Dumbledore standing in his nightclothes half smiling at Harry.  
  
"Come in Harry." Said Dumbledore in his clam voice. Harry entered the room and took his normal chair just on the other side of Dumbledore's desk. "How are you Harry?" Asked Dumbledore. How did he feel? Numb. It was like he under water and everything moved by him so slowly. He didn't have the energy to speak, and all he could do is just look at Dumbledore. Dumbledore seemed to understand Harry, because he nodded at him. "Harry I understand that you don't feel that well right now and that is to be excepted with all that as happened to you in your short life. Most grown wizards haven't been through a quarter of what you have. It is okay to feel like this once in a while, as long as you don't give into the feeling." Harry nodded in understanding.  
  
"I know Professor. It all just feels to much for me, like I can't keep on going, but I am afraid of what will happen if I do." Said Harry and Dumbledore smiled an encouraging smile at him.  
  
"Harry that fear is a good thing, because that mean you care about something more than yourself. Without that fear you are no better then those people would are serving Voldemort right now. They care about nothing but themselves and the only fear they feel is the fear that something might happened to them so they take the easy way out, but sometimes, what seemed the easy way out is the hardest way of all." When Dumbledore finished Harry felt a little better than he had. They sat in silence for a while thinking, neither of them wanted to break the silence, because it just seemed right, but it was broken when their was a loud knock at the door. "Come." Said Dumbledore and as he said it Professor McGonagall came flying into the room, but then stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Harry sitting in the just in front of the desk.  
  
"There you are. Your friends are really worried that something happened to you." She said taking a breath of relief.  
  
"Harry and I have been talking together, Minerva, and I have decided that Harry is going to take the day off today. Will you tell his other teachers that he will not be in class today and that his friends will be collecting his school work, and also can you tell his friend that if they want to find him he will be in the hospital wing, but they are not to disturb him." Professor McGonagall nodded with a worried look.  
  
"Yes Professor, is he alright?"  
  
"Yes he just needs a break." Said Dumbledore, and with another nodded Professor McGonagall left the office and closed the door behind him. "We all need a rest every now and then." He winkled at Harry and then stood up from his desk, as he walked over to the perch where Fawkes was sleeping, Harry started to speak.  
  
"Professor can I ask you a couple of questions?" Asked Harry timidly.  
  
"You may ask me anything you want and I will answer you if I can?"  
  
"Well I just wanted to know, who is Professor Smith and how does she know Cassandra?"  
  
"To answer your first question Alexandra is a Professor at Hogwarts teacher, whom I asked to come this year. She has special... well... special knowledge about the subject of Dark Arts. She went to school here with your father and was also friends with Professor Snape, they were both in Slytherin house." Said Dumbledore. "As for the rest of her tale and that of Cassandra, well that isn't mine to tell you, Harry. You will get that piece of the puzzle when you need it." Harry nodded but didn't understand, why won't people answer his questions about his parents, the night that they were killed and anything related to that. It was one of the reasons that he was in Dumbledore's office, he felt so frustrated. He was thinking about everything that was going on when he realized someone.  
  
"Professor, I haven't seen Sirius around lately where is he?" asked Harry.  
  
"I sent him on a mission for me. I cannot say more than that Harry, for Sirius' protection." Said Dumbledore and Harry nodded. Harry walked to the hospital wing, which now seemed like his second home. Madam Pomfrey was waiting for him with a potion for dreamless sleep. He took the potion, and slept for good while. He woke to hear people talking at the other end of the wing.  
  
"You say that he has been having dreams." The cold voice of Professor Smith made Harry open his eyes. He lay on the bed watching the buried figures of Professor Smith and Madam Pomfrey talk.  
  
"Dumbledore said that he has been having bad dreams, and that he should keep the dreamless sleep potion with him when he goes back to the dormitories." Said Madam Pomfrey.  
  
"Did he tell you what Harry dreams about? Does he dream about a girl?" asked Professor Smith.  
  
"No, no one has told me what he dreams about."  
  
"Thank you then. I must be going." Harry watched Professor Smith slowly walk from the hospital wing as Ron and Hermione walked in and headed for Harry's bed. When Harry saw them he sat up and put on his glasses.  
  
"Alright there Harry?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Yes I just needed some sleep." Said Harry. Madam Pomfrey noticing that Harry was awake went to his bed.  
  
"Harry. You can go anytime you feel like, but before you go you need to come by my office and get the potions that I have prepared for you." Said Madam Pomfrey and then she left. Harry got up and ready to go as he told Ron and Hermione what was going on. After Harry finished they told Harry about what happened in classes that day, too Harry's surprise he found out that Snape was not back yet and that Professor Smith seemed to be really worried about him.  
  
"Snape not back yet?" said Harry. Harry was actually getting worried as well, but he would never tell Snape that.  
  
"Yes, it seems that no one know where he is." Said Ron. They left the hospital wing after Harry got the potion from Madam Pomfrey. Harry, Ron and Hermione talked about theories about Snape's disappearance all the way to the Gryffindor tower. When they entered the commons room Harry noticed Fred and George in a corner thinking up some mischief to do, and Harry smiled.  
  
"Hey Harry. Would you like to help us plan something?" asked Fred.  
  
"No, thank you guys I can't." said Harry.  
  
"Oh come on be the best prefect ever." Said George. Harry stopped and serious thought about it. He was about to help when Hermione had to say something.  
  
"No you guys Harry can't. He is a prefect now and so he can play games like that." Harry shrugged and sat down in their usual corner. Once Harry had sat down Hermione pulled something out of her pocket and handed it to Harry, it was Harry's ring. "I tried to look it up but I couldn't find it in any of the book.'  
  
"Oh. I might ask Professor Smith about it later." Said Harry. He really wanted to speak with Professor Smith by his self; he wanted to know if she really knew Cassandra. They sat the rest of the night doing homework and getting Harry caught up with what he missed that day.  
  
The next couple of weeks went by quickly, with all the classes and Quidditch practice Harry had a lot to do. Classes seemed to get harder and harder as the year went by. The Friday before Halloween they had double potions and Professor Smith was trying every hard to get through the class. Malfoy noticed this and he threw some extra newts eye into Neville's potion and it exploded over half the class. Professor Smith just sat in the seat behind the desk with her eyes closed and took a deep breath. Energy filled the room that scared Harry, and it seemed to be coming from Professor Smith. Suddenly the books that were sitting on the desk in front of him started to float. Harry stared at the books then glanced at Ron and Hermione. The books in front of them were also floating as well.  
  
"Enough!" exclaimed Professor Smith and the books slammed back down on the table. "Malfoy." Everyone stared at Malfoy. Harry had never really seen Malfoy scared of anything, but right then Malfoy looked as through he was going to die of fright. "Go see Dumbledore right now, I will be there shortly. Everyone would needs to go to the hospital wing you can go now." The people who had the potions explode on them got up and went to the hospital wing. The people would were left watched as Malfoy talked out of the classroom with his head down. Harry couldn't help but smile until. "Harry." Said Professor Smith. Harry looked up at her. "Could you please accompany me to my office." Harry nodded. "The rest of you can go early." Everyone left. Ron and Hermione gave a look of concern at Harry before they left. Harry followed Professor Smith out of the classroom, down the corridors and into her office near the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.  
  
She sat in a chair behind her desk and pulled out a book from the bookcase that set next to her desk. "Please, take a seat Harry." Harry sat down in a chair near the door. "I hear that you have something that would like me to look at." Harry looked at her in shocked.  
  
"Yes, I do." Said Harry and gave her the ring. She looked at the ring and she went pale.  
  
"Where did you get this?" questioned Professor Smith.  
  
"My cousin." Said Harry.  
  
"Oh... so you know that Cassandra is your cousin?" Harry nodded. "That makes sense. Okay. It is a ring that protects the wearer from three different things. See the yellow stone. That protects the wearer from the call of Sirens. The red stone protects the wearer from the cry of the Banshee. The blue stone, which is the most interesting thing of all, protects the wearer from the wanderings of the Dream Walkers..."  
  
"Dream Walkers?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yes Harry, don't you know what the dream walker is..." Professor Smith was cut short when Professor McGonagall rushed into the office.  
  
"Professor Smith... come... quickly." Said Professor McGonagall and they both rushed out of her office. Harry followed them out of the office and watched them run down the corridor and disappear around a corner. Harry was going to follow them, but he meet Ron and Hermione along the way and they told Harry that Sirius was looking for him. Harry followed Ron and Hermione they were heading for Hagrid's cabin. Sirius was there waiting for them in front of the fire place.  
  
"Sirius?" said Harry as he rushed to him and gave him a hug. 'What's going on?"  
  
"Harry, You-know-Who has taken Severus prisoner." Said Sirius. Harry was slightly surprised at the tone of concern in his voice. "That was where I have been. Dumbledore sent me to find some word on him, because he didn't report in when he was suppose to." Harry, Ron and Hermione were all shocked.  
  
"Did you hear anything about Cassandra?" asked Harry. Sirius hung his head and with a deep breathe answered.  
  
"No, no word." Said Sirius. "The teachers are going to see if they can get a search party together to try and find where they are being held. It will leave Hogwarts the day after tomorrow. I will be going with them." Harry looked at him.  
  
"Why? You just can back from a mission." Said Harry. "Why do you have to go back out there?"  
  
"Because Harry, no matter what my feelings are toward Snape I would not leave him a prisoner of that thing." Harry nodded. He agreed with Sirius, but he still didn't want Sirius to leave, because Harry always seemed to feel safer with Sirius around. Sirius looked at Harry. "I wish I had your father's ring so that I could give it to you."  
  
"My father's ring?" questioned Harry.  
  
"Yes, your father used to wear still one ring. He said it would protect him. He wore it all the time. I don't know where or not it really could protect you I would know he would want you to have it." Smiled Sirius.  
  
"I got this ring." Said Harry as he pulled out the ring with the three stones. "Professor Smith says that it has protective powers against..."  
  
"Where did you get that?" exclaimed Sirius.  
  
"Cassandra gave it to me why?" asked Harry.  
  
"Harry, that is your father's ring, but how did Cassandra get it. Your father had it on the day before he died." Said Sirius. Harry's heart jumped up into his throat.  
  
"This is my father's ring?" Harry held the ring in his hand. The only other thing that he had of his father was the invisibility cloak that was hidden in his trunk, and now he had his father's ring, but how did Cassandra get it, if his father had it on the day before he died?  
  
"Yes Harry. That is your father's ring. You need to keep it with you at all times." Said Sirius as he looked outside. "I have to go now Harry, and you guys need to get back up to the castle." Sirius smiled at them and left. Harry, Ron and Hermione all walked up to the castle together, in silence. They were all deep in thought about things that were happening. They didn't eat dinner that night instead they went straight to bed; anyways they wanted to get up early the next day, because it was the first Hogsmeade trip that they were going to have, and they wanted to be up and ready to go.  
  
When they got to Hogsmeade the next day they tried very hard not to think about what was going on and tried to have, as much fun as possible, but it wasn't working. They ended up in the Three Broomsticks drinking Butterbeers and talking about Sirius, Snape and Cassandra.  
  
"Poor, Snape." Said Hermione. "I agree with Sirius when he said that he wouldn't leave anyone as a prisoner of that thing, not even Snape."  
  
"I would like to see Snape get what he deserves, but no one deserves that." Exclaimed Ron.  
  
"I just hope that everyone turns out to be okay." Said Harry.  
  
"Oh Harry. I am sure that she is alright." Said Hermione trying to cheer him up.  
  
"You didn't have the dream I had when they were torturing her. That was just the first one, in the second dream she was almost broken. Can you imagine two months? Two months of being the prisoner of Voldemort." Said Harry.  
  
"Yeah, but Harry according to everyone she was with him for six years before..." Ron started.  
  
"Yeah before he tried to have her killed." Said Harry. Nothing was helping to lighten the mood, not even the Butterbeer. "I think I am going to go back to the castle now you guys." Harry got up and left but before too long Ron and Hermione came running up next to him.  
  
"We will go with you." Said Hermione, and they walked back to the castle together talking about the first Quidditch match which would be in two weeks, against Slytherin. The rest of the day went by with a better mood. Excitement filled the air as everyone was waiting for the Halloween feast that night. It was the same thing every year, the elaborate decorations, the great food and everyone really excited about it being Halloween. When the three of them got to the Great Hall they were one of the last people on join the entire school at the feast. Dumbledore spoke a few words to the school, hiding any concerns that were plaguing the teachers. Snape's chair sat sadly empty and Professor Smith looked as though she had been crying, but Harry, Ron and Hermione were the only students who really notice anything wrong. The feast went on as though nothing was wrong. Harry watched as everyone around him laughed and talked happily. It took awhile for the three of them to relax and get into the spirit that seemed everyone else was in, but before long Harry was laughing as the Bloody Barron frightened a first year Hufflepuff by popping through the middle of the table just in front of him. The air of tension that Harry felt moments before was instantly lifted and even Professor Smith seemed to show a little smile.  
  
Harry sat eating his food smiling, when he began to hear something from outside the doors to the Great Hall. At first if was hard to hear over the loud din of the Great Hall with everyone laughing and talking away, but then it started to get louder and louder. No one else seemed to hear the sound. Harry looked around at everyone to see if anyone else had noticed, but they were all still smiling. Harry just brushed it off. He was just hearing things. That was all, just hearing things. He tried to ignore the sound, but it seemed to be getting louder and louder. Harry decided to cheek once more to see if anyone else heard the sound, and when he saw Professor Smith's somewhat happy expression suddenly disappear and her eyes turn to the door of the Great Hall, and the other Professors soon followed suit, he knew that he wasn't just hearing things. He to turned his head towards the door and soon after so did Ron and Hermione. The sound was just outside the door and Harry suddenly realized what it was. Footsteps.  
  
Harry didn't know why he was getting so anxious from footsteps, but it was the way the footsteps sounded. It seemed to echo in Harry's head. Harry got a funny feeling that something was about to happen and he quickly got his wand out from his pocket. Ron noticed that Harry had his wand in his hand and he took his wand out as well. There was a suddenly silence that fell over the Great Hall as the student noticed the Professors slowly making their way to the door. All the Professors had their wands out and ready to stop whatever was going to come through the door, as though Voldemort himself was standing just outside the door ready to take on the entire school. Then suddenly the doors flew opened wide. Harry's wand was at ready and all the Professors were ready as well. He saw the figure standing in the doorways and his heart leapt to his throat. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven: The Witch Who Never Was  
  
There standing in the doorway was a slim figure of a girl. She was carrying something in her arms. Harry couldn't quite see who it was over the line of Professors, but when he heard Professor Smith squeak. "Cassie!" Harry jumped up from his seat and rushed past the Professors and to the door where Professor Smith was already standing next to the weak Cassandra. Harry looked at her and the first thing he noticed about her was that the beautiful blue eyes he remember seeing over the summer were now a golden color. Also she now had long locks of auburn hair. There was a thin cut that seemed to be healing on her right cheek, and she was wearing the same clothes as she wore the day she dropped Harry off in London, but they were now extremely dirty and very torn. They looked as through they would fall right off her at any minute, but that was more from the weight that she had lost than the wear and tear of the clothes. She stood swaying from side to side, threatening to collapse under what little weight she did have.  
  
"Cassandra." Said Harry and he took a slow step forward, but Cassandra didn't look at him. Her eyes were fixed on the ground just in front of her as if she didn't even hear Harry. Then Professor Dumbledore walked toward her and stood a little less than two feet away from her. Cassandra looked him in the eye.  
  
"Severus." Was the only word she uttered. Harry looked down at what she was carrying and was shocked to see the unconscious Snape in her arms. How is she carrying him when she is about to fall over herself? Dumbledore motioned for two of the other Professors to get Snape from Cassandra, and they did. They set him on the ground and Harry saw that he was in very bad shape. There was dried blood caked on his face, there was also blood on his robes.  
  
"He must have gone through a lot in the last couple of weeks." Thought Harry. Then Harry looked back at Cassandra who was again staring at the ground her face void of expression. She seemed to be swaying a little less now that she wasn't carrying Snape, but she still looked as through she was about to collapse.  
  
"Cassie." Said Professor Smith. Cassandra slowly turned her eyes toward the pale and very grave Professor.  
  
"Alex?" whispered Cassandra with a horse voice and slowly started to tip over, but Harry quickly rushed forward and caught her. Dumbledore turned to the students you were staring on in amazement and spoke to them.  
  
"Prefects will you please escort you houses back to your dormitories." Said Dumbledore. "Harry you will stay here with us. Ron and Hermione you both will also help us get these two to the hospital wing." All the students walked by the group of Professor and the three students slowly as they looked to see close up what had happened. After the students had all gone, Professor Dumbledore floated Snape ahead of him and Professor McGonagall floated Cassandra, they began to walk towards the hospital wing with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Professor Smith close behind. The other Professor helped the students along to their dormitories.  
  
When they had gotten to the hospital wing Madam Pomfrey hurried about trying to help Snape and Cassandra. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood back and watched as Madam Pomfrey, with a little help from Dumbledore and McGonagall healed Professor Snape and Cassandra, not long after Snape awoke with a start.  
  
"You are alright Severus." Said Dumbledore calmly. Snape see that it was actually Dumbledore lay back down and looked around him.  
  
"How did I get here?" said Snape bewildered.  
  
"I am afraid I cannot answer that question, and since you do not know, then the only person who can answer your question is laying in the bed next to you." Said Dumbledore. Snape looked over and the small figure of Cassandra lying in the bed next to him. She was as white as the spotless sheets that she lay on. "Will she be alright?" asked Snape.  
  
"Poppy is working on her right now. I do not know the extent of her injuries and cannot make an accurate statement about that, but she was the one who brought you here Severus." Said Dumbledore gravely. Everyone looked at the unconscious form of Cassandra in amazement. Madam Pomfrey examined her quickly and was reporting to Dumbledore whenever she found something wrong with her.  
  
"Her right leg is broken in two places... Multiple burses and cuts all over her body... The Cruciatus Curse!" Madam Pomfrey stood up and looked at Dumbledore. "The Cruciatus Curse was used on this girl many time Albus." Tears formed in her eyes as she continued looking over the girl. Madam Pomfrey turned Cassandra onto her side to see if there was anything wrong with her back. "Oh good lord!" exclaimed Madam Pomfrey and motioned for Dumbledore to come over to see. Dumbledore went over and looked at Cassandra's back where Madam Pomfrey pointed, there was a moment where Harry thought he saw a shocked look fly across his face.  
  
"What is it Albus?" asked Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore straightened out and looked at the rest of them.  
  
"They use a whip on her back, and there are old scars here. It was done to her before." Said Dumbledore. "Poppy do everything you can for her." Dumbledore helped Madam Pomfrey put Cassandra on her back and let her get to work. Then he walked over to the others who had been waiting anxiously. He turned and looked at Harry. "Harry you can stay here if you wish." Then he turned to Ron and Hermione. "You both can stay with Harry, but none of the other students are allowed to go near the girl." Said Dumbledore, but the last half was directed more to Madam Pomfrey than anyone else.  
  
Harry went to Cassandra's side out of the way of the hurrying Pomfrey around trying to get Cassandra healed. Harry watched Madam Pomfrey as she worked and didn't notice Ron and Hermione pull up chairs and seat themselves near the bed. He didn't notice as Dumbledore spoke quickly with a completely stunned Professor Smith and soon after that all of the Professors, except Snape, left. Harry watch as Madam Pomfrey put rags covered in a foul smelling potion on the whip lashes that covered Cassandra back, mended Cassandra's broken bones and other thing to help the pale girl. It was nearly morning when Harry realized that everyone had left to go to sleep, so he got up and headed for the Gryffindor tower, noticing that Snape had also gone sometime earlier. He walked down the dark corridors in silence thinking about Cassandra and how she could of gotten Snape and herself away from Voldemort when he heard voices coming from the next corridor.  
  
"Alex I don't know how she did it." The voice of Snape came from around the corner. Harry stop in his tracks and listened. "All I know is that she was there with me in the room where you-know-who had us, and then she was carrying me through the forest. That is all I remember."  
  
"Nothing else?" Professor Smith's cold voice sounded very anxious. "Severus you know what will happen to all three of us if he finds out what happened fourteen years ago."  
  
"I know what might happen, but now I am more concerned at what will happen now that he knows that she is alive and here at Hogwarts... You know what he was trying to make her do Alex."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"He was trying to make her kill Harry." Harry felt as though he couldn't breath. "He was tried to make her into the little girl he always wanted her to be, but just as before she won't let him make her."  
  
"But Severus what about that one time with the Longbottom's?" asked Professor Smith.  
  
"Well what would anyone done after almost four years of torture to make you do something. I do blame her for anything she did... God she was only nine years old Alex." Said Snape. There was a moment of silence and then Snape spoke again.  
  
"She cannot be allowed to talk... no one can know about what happened Severus. It is important for both of us..."  
  
"It is late Alex I think we should retire." Harry heard movement coming his away and moved quickly to get behind the statue of an ugly witch. Harry watched as Snape and a very upset Smith walked past him and disappeared around a corner.  
  
"What were they talking about with Neville's parents? How was Cassandra involved with that?" thought Harry as he walked the rest of the way to the Gryffindor tower. When he got to the picture of the fat lady he had to wake her up to give her the password. She said something about not ever being able to get enough sleep because people were waking her up at all hours of the night and then let Harry in. There wasn't anyone in the commons room when he got there and the fire that was lit that night had already gone out. Harry began to wonder exactly what time it was when he saw the suns first rays of light came through the window. Harry wasn't feeling tiered so he when upstairs to his room and got ready for another day. When he was done cleaning himself up he went back to the commons room to find a couple of people were wake and talking between each other about what happened the night before. They asked Harry if he knew anything that they weren't told by McGonagall the just after they returned to the tower.  
  
"What did McGonagall tell you?" asked Harry.  
  
"She said that the girl and Snape got away from you-know-who, but no one knows how they did it. How is the girl anyways?" asked a seventh year.  
  
"I know just as much as you do." Lied Harry. He really didn't want anyone to know exactly what was going on, because he didn't want anyone to have ideas. He had, had an experience with that his second year at Hogwarts. When people thought he was the heir of Slytherin just because he could talk to snakes. Harry got a book and was reading it over in a corner of the commons room when Ron and Hermione came down from their rooms. They were heading back to the hospital wing, thinking that Harry was there when they found him in the commons room.  
  
"Harry there you are." Said Ron. "Why didn't you come to bed last night?"  
  
"I wasn't tiered, but sit down you two I have something to tell you." Said Harry and both Ron and Hermione sat down to listen to Harry's story about all the things that happened in the last couple of days, from what Professor Smith told him about the ring, to what happened in the corridors when he was walking back from the hospital wing.  
  
"Why would Snape and Smith be scared about you-know-who find out something that happened fourteen years ago?" asked Ron. Harry and Hermione both looked at him and shook their heads. "What?"  
  
"Ron, come on. Fourteen years ago was the year that you-know-who went to kill Harry." Said Hermione.  
  
"It was also the same time that everyone thought that Cassandra died. I think they helped her hide from the wizarding world." Said Harry. "But how and why did they do that?" asked Ron.  
  
"I don't know, but I would like to find out." Said Harry. Harry got up and started to pace the commons room. The three of them thought in silence for a while.  
  
"I need to go to the library." Said Hermione suddenly. She got up and ran out of the commons room. Harry and Ron looked at each other and laughed. They had gotten use to Hermione running out to the library like that all the time.  
  
"So Harry do you want to go get some breakfast?" asked Ron. Harry nodded and they both walked down to the Great Hall to grab some breakfast. When they got there the hall was almost full of students eating breakfast and talking, but when Harry got started to walk into the hall it went silent. Everyone was looking at him with sorrowful expressions, which told Harry that everyone knew exactly who Cassandra was to him. Harry looked at Ron and they sat down and eat breakfast. As they eat Hermione ran into the Great Hall and sat down next to Harry. She looked around.  
  
"So I guess everyone knows what's happened." Said Hermione.  
  
"Guess so." Said Harry. He looked up and shot a warning look to the people at the next table. Everyone went back to their conversations and food. "Hermione what did you go running off to the library for."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it here, lets go to the hospital wing." The three of them got up and walked out of the Great Hall to the excited whispers of all the other students. They walked to the hospital wing quickly as Hermione told them why she went to the library.  
  
"I went to find out exactly what a Dream Walker is Harry." Said Hermione. "I found some references to Dream Walker, and they all said that a Dream Walker is a woman would can go into peoples dreams and change them somehow. The one thing I found very interesting is that they was a Dream Walker who was a follower of you-know-who, a very powerful supporter..."  
  
"Oh yeah. The Lady of Dreams, but that is just a story. No one ever saw her. She is just a legend that made up to explain would he got to be so powerful. Nothing else." Said Ron.  
  
"Well fact or no we can take chances. The books also said that Dream Walkers could actually make people do things. You know like the Imperius Curse, but much more powerful. Dream Walkers are very rare. They say that one Dream Walker is born once every two hundred years." Said Hermione. They both looked at Harry to find that he had a very concerned look on his face, and for good reason.  
  
"Dream Walker?" thought Harry. "Could Cassandra be a Dream Walker? She was in his dreams a lot over the summer, and he did have a lot more dreams about Voldemort, but could she be a Dream Walker and could she be the Dream Walker people say was a big supporter of Voldemort?" These questions filled Harry's mind as they entered the hospital wing to find Sirius standing over Cassandra's bed looking rather upset. When Sirius saw Harry, Ron and Hermione standing in the doorway he walked up to them, stopped looking as though he wanted to say something to them, but then he just walked out of the hospital wing with one look back at Cassandra. The three of them looked at each other with questioning expression and headed for Cassandra's bed.  
  
Cassandra was still lying on the bed where Harry had left her the night before. She had not woken up yet. "She is so pale." Said Harry as he brushed some hair from her face.  
  
"I wonder how she got away from you-know-who with Snape, and with a broken leg.' Said Hermione as she took a closer look at Cassandra.  
  
"I wonder..." said Harry. They sat in silence for a while when there came a sudden out burst from the corridor.  
  
"She is here. I got an owl from a concerned parent saying that she was here, and I wanted to see if it is true." Came the familiar voice of the Minister of Magic himself, Cornelius Fudge. Harry looked up just in time to see Fudge walk through the hospital wing door and right up to Cassandra's bed, not even caring to notice the three students who sat next to the bed. "So it is her!" said Fudge with an anxious voice.  
  
"Yes it is her." Said Snape, who appeared at the door with Professor Dumbledore right behind him.  
  
"So why wasn't I informed the moment she got here?" asked Fudge. Harry was confused, why would the Minister of Magic need to be informed that Cassandra was here at Hogwarts.  
  
"Truthfully Cornelius I didn't see the need to." Said Dumbledore. Fudge looked outraged at this comment.  
  
"Didn't see the need to Albus. You of all people know who this is and what she has done in the past." Retorted Fudge. "I will have her sent to Azkaban the moment she wakes."  
  
With that everyone in the room step forwards in anger. Snape stepped in between Fudge and Cassandra. "You will do no such thing Fudge." Said Snape.  
  
"Who do you think you are?" yelled Fudge. "Who are you to give me orders?" Everyone was watching Fudge as his whole face turned a very bright color of red at no one notice that Cassandra had woken up. She stood up and walked weakly to stand next to Snape.  
  
"Cassandra?" said Harry. Cassandra turned and smiled at Harry, but the smiled soon disappeared when a wave of dizziness overcame her and she swayed a little.  
  
"Fudge is right. I have done things in the past." Said Cassandra and Harry noticed that the American accent had disappeared totally. Cassandra took a couple more weak steps towards Fudge and said "But..." Then she whispered into Fudge's ear. Fudge's expression quickly turned from an expression of absolute anger to one of complete shock as Cassandra finished whispering in his ear and entered to her bed.  
  
"Well then. I mush be off." Said Fudge quickly, shoving his hat back onto his head started to walk out of the hospital wing, but stopped at the door. "Dumbledore, we will be talking about this later." And with that he left. All eyes turned to Cassandra, who was staring back at all of them.  
  
"Harry, Ron, Hermione." Said Dumbledore and all three of them looked up at the Professor. "I must ask you three to leave us to talk with Cassandra for awhile." Harry, Ron and Hermione left the hospital wing very confused about what happened with Cornelius Fudge. They talked between each other about it for a while before abandoning the topic for a game of wizard's chess back in the Gryffindor's common room. Later that night Harry went back to the hospital wing to see if he could talk to Cassandra only to find that Cassandra was asleep once more.  
  
The next week flew by quickly and the Gryffindor Quidditch Team had practiced every hard for the up coming game against Slytherin that weekend. On Saturday Harry woke with a start from a dream that he could not remember. He dressed and woke Ron. They went down to the Great Hall for breakfast where the rest of the team was already eating. They joined the rest of the team. Harry looked up at the teacher's table to see something very interesting, Cassandra. She was sitting at the table eating and talking with Professor Snape, who looked happy. This shocked Harry greatly as he had never seen Snape happy as he did while talking to the golden-eyed Cassandra. Harry elbow Ron and motioned for him to look up at the teacher's table.  
  
"Now that is interesting." Said Ron as he took a bite of toast, but then put it right back now. "Oh I can't eat anything. I am too nervous." Everyone looked at Ron with a smile.  
  
"Oh Weasley." Said Malfoy from the Slytherin table. "Hope you don't fall off your broom.  
  
"He won't." exclaimed Hermione as she entered the Great hall and joined Harry and Ron.  
  
"Everyone knows that he only made the team because of his friendship with the captain and his two brothers on the team as well." Said Malfoy.  
  
"He made the team because he was the best for the team." Retorted Fred. Everyone at the Gryffindor table was standing ready to fight everyone at the Slytherin table and would have done so if Snape hadn't spoke first.  
  
"Enough of this. Both the teams will go to their locker rooms and get ready for the game." Said Snape and both the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams left the Great Hall. The Gryffindor team went to their locker room. A nervous air hang in the room as the Gryffindor team sat for a while in silence. When Harry figure out something to say to the team he spoke.  
  
"Okay you guys. We all know the rumors following around out there at Ron was only put on the team, because he is my friend and that his brothers are on the team, but we all know that, that is not true. He picked Ron because he was the best, and Ron really needs to know that right now, because it will be his first time out there and we don't want him to think otherwise while we are playing. We all need to remember the strategies that we have been practicing all those long hours to make prefect. We are the defending Quidditch champions and we will not lose to Slytherin. So lets go out there and win like I know we can." Said Harry. The nervous air quickly changed to one of excitement as Harry spoke, and when he was done everyone jumped to their feet.  
  
"Lets go." Shouted Fred, and they all grabbed their brooms and headed toward the Quidditch field. Harry could hear the voice of Lee Jordan, a friend of Fred and George, as he announced the entrance of the teams.  
  
"And as everyone knows the Gryffindor team has a new keeper, Ron Weasley. Show them what you are made of Ron." The teams lined up in the middle of the field and the two captains stepped forward. Harry looked rather small as Marcus Flint the Slytherin captain towered over him.  
  
"Now shake hands." Said Madam Hooch the referee of the Quidditch matches. "I want to clean game." This was more directed to Marcus than to Harry. Harry and Marcus shook hands. Marcus squeezed Harry's hand so hard that he thought his hand would break before Marcus let go with a smirk. Everyone got on their brooms and were off into the air. The Gryffindor team took a practice flight around the stadium. They are in formation as they turned around the Gryffindor end of the field and flew towards the Slytherin side. Everyone cheered, but the Slytherin people as they past, Harry in the lead. As they turned back towards the Gryffindor goals Harry saw the Slytherin team, who were also in formation heading directly towards them.  
  
"Lets get them Harry," whispered George into Harry's ear. Harry nodded his head and the whole team went straight at the Slytherin team playing a big game of chicken. Harry stared down Marcus who was in the lead for the Slytherin team. Both the teams got closer and closer neither team wanted to be the first to pull away. They were only feet away when Harry saw doubt run through Marcus' eyes. Harry closed his eyes waiting for the crash, but it never came. When Harry opened his eyes he noticed that the entire Slytherin team had pulled up at the last moment leaving the path clear for the Gryffindor team to fly straight ahead. The crowd exploded with cheers as though the Gryffindor had already won the game.  
  
"Okay. Let get to the game." Yelled Madam Hooch. Everyone took their positions and all the balls were released to start the game. Lee Jordan's voice filled the stadium as the action unfolded.  
  
"Gryffindor in possession of the Quaffle." Said Lee, but after that Harry wasn't totally listening. He was looking for the snitch. When Harry thought he saw a glint of gold from the other side of the field, but his view was blocked as Malfoy flew in front of him.  
  
"Well, well. How is the cousin." Laughed Malfoy.  
  
"Malfoy, no wonder you are such a bad seeker, you talk to much." Said Harry as he flew higher to find the snitch. Malfoy followed him?  
  
"I thought you would have been happy to see Snape go." Said Malfoy to Harry's shock. How could Malfoy talk like that in the middle of a Quidditch game?  
  
"What is this your new strategy? To win by boring the other team to death with talking." Said Harry as he caught sight of the snitch hovering just off the ground under the Gryffindor's goal. Harry went into a steep dive toward the ground and Malfoy followed. He was picking up speed as they raced toward the snitch. The crowd seemed to hold their breaths as the two seekers got closer and closer to the ground. Harry watched as the ground speed up to him and in the last second he pulled up so that his broom barely brushed the grass of the Quidditch field and headed toward the Gryffindor end were the snitch was still hover in front of the goals. He heard a loud thud as Malfoy, not being able to pull out of the drive, slammed right into the ground. They crowd was talking excitedly as everyone looked to see if Malfoy was alright, but Harry didn't have time to stop and see if Malfoy was getting back on his broom, he had the snitch to caught.  
  
It was only feet away, before it took off. It flew straight up past the busy beater and chasers. Harry had to do a little fancy flying to get around them but he was above them in no time chasing after the snitch that seemed to be climbing higher and higher with every second. Harry reached out his hand to get the snitch and gripped hard around the snitch when he began to fall. He quickly turned around to see the ground, and how high he actually was. When he looked down to see the ground, noticing he was about two hundred feet above the ground, he saw that all the other people on brooms were falling as well.  
  
"What is happening?" thought Harry as the ground speed up to meet him once again, but he couldn't control his broom. If he fell from this height he would never make it, while everyone else wasn't that high off the ground they might come out with a broken bone or two, but he was twice as high as they were. Panic filled Harry as he tired everything he could, but he couldn't think clearly as he began to hear the frantic screams of the people in the stands as they watched the players fall from the sky. Harry watched as the couple of people, who were closest to the ground hit hard, and then the others hit the ground soon after. He had watched as Ron fell; he hit the ground and then stood up. "Good Ron is okay." Thought Harry, but what about him he was still falling and there was no way of slowing down.  
  
"Dumbledore!" thought Harry. "Dumbledore will save me." Harry tried to look around to see if he could see Dumbledore, but he was nowhere around. "Where is Dumbledore? Why isn't he doing anything to help?" It was to late now. Harry was going to hit.  
  
He saw the horror in Ron's expression before he closed his eyes ready to hit the ground, but then, with his eyes closed, he saw a bright fast of light. He waited a long time for the impact but it never came. When he opened his eyes he was staring into the terrified faces of the other Quidditch players as he was hanging in mid air. "Harry!" shouted Ron and he ran over to Harry. Harry's head was inches above the ground, as he looked how close he got. Then he stood up and showed a confused Madam Hooch the snitch he had in his hands. She looked at him in shock.  
  
"Gryffindor win!" squeaked Lee Jordan as Harry notice Professor Snape, Smith and McGonagall were running towards him.  
  
"Are you okay child." Said McGonagall breathlessly.  
  
"Yes. I am okay. Where is Dumbledore?" asked Harry and McGonagall looked at him with a shocked expression.  
  
"But Harry Dumbledore left this morning to the Ministry to talk with Fudge. He isn't here." Said McGonagall.  
  
"Gone, but how..."  
  
"That is what I like to know." Said Snape, but he wasn't looking at Harry. Snape had turned around to look at a figure in a black hooded cloak, who was walking away from the field. Cassandra?  
  
"What I want to know is why did all the broom stop working?" asked Professor McGonagall, who didn't notice Snape at all. McGonagall went up to Madam Hooch and was talking to her when Hermione joined Harry and Ron on the Field.  
  
"Are you okay?" she said quickly.  
  
"Yes I am fine, but is everyone else okay?" asked Harry and he went to find the rest of his team to make sure that they were all okay. Fred and George had a couple of burse and Angelina had a broken wrist, but all of the others where okay. Ironically the only person who was seriously injured was Malfoy who was still unconscious from the dive that he couldn't pull out from. Madam Pomfrey was already running around trying to get all the injured players to the hospital wing. She insisted that all the players see her in the hospital wing no matter if they only had a small cut or little burse.  
  
After Madam Pomfrey looked over everyone the Gryffindor team headed up to their tower to celebrate their victory. Harry and Ron walked together back to the tower talking about the game. "So Ron I heard you didn't let a single Quaffle through the goal." Said Harry and Ron turned bright red.  
  
"Yeah, they didn't even score one time." Said Ron as they entered the commons room. A great explosion of sound greeted them. All of the Gryffindor had set up a little party with a great banner across the commons room that read; 'Ron you're the best. Way to go Gryffindors.' Harry smiled. It was about time people started to see Ron for what he could do. The party continued until Professor McGonagall showed up to put a stop to the party as she always did, but she also did something that surprised Harry.  
  
"Harry I need to see you in my office." Said Professor McGonagall. Harry followed Professor McGonagall through the corridors to her office where, Snape and Smith where waiting for them. Harry took a seat in front of McGonagall's desk. "Harry we had a couple of questions for you about what happened at today's Quidditch game." Said McGonagall. Harry nodded.  
  
"Harry when you were chasing the snitch, did you go higher after you caught it?" asked Professor McGonagall.  
  
"No the moment I caught the snitch the broom started to fall." Said Harry confused, why did they ask him that question? "What's wrong?"  
  
"Well the fact is Harry that snitches aren't suppose to go that high." Said Snape. Harry looked shocked he didn't know that there was suppose to be a limited on how high a snitch could go.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.  
  
"Harry, at Hogwarts the snitch has a limited to how high it can go for the safety of the seekers. This was put in place for just the reason as was shown today." Said McGonagall  
  
"But Professor why did the brooms stop working?"  
  
"We haven't figured that out yet Harry, but it had to be some powerful dark magic. Brooms can't be easily tempered with." Said Snape.  
  
"Harry, what I really want to know is how you stopped yourself before you hit the ground, because none of the other Professor were able to." Said McGonagall.  
  
"I don't know Professor. I thought one of the Professors stopped me." Said Harry. Then Harry noticed that Professor Smith was getting really anxious and soon Professor Snape noticed as well.  
  
"If you will please excuse me Professor McGonagall I will go and find out why the brooms stopped working." Said Smith and without another word she left McGonagall's office. McGonagall and Snape looked at each other and then back to Harry.  
  
"Well Harry. If you cannot tell us any more about how you stopped then you are free to go." Said McGonagall. Harry got up and walked to the door, but stopped.  
  
"Professor... There is something I would like to tell you. When I was about to hit the ground I closed my eyes and when I did that I saw a flash of light." Said Harry. "Then I opened my eyes again and I was hang in mid air. That is all I know about why I stopped."  
  
"Thank you Harry.' Said McGonagall. Harry nodded and left the room, as he walked down the corridor to the Gryffindor tower he heard his name being called from behind him.  
  
"Harry." Called Snape from in front of McGonagall's office. Harry turned around and started to walk back to where Snape was standing. "I need to speak with you for a moment." Said Snape and he walked down the corridor to a point where they could speak without anyone coming up to them. Snape looked around and made sure that no one was around. "I need to warn you that when I was the prison of the dark lord I heard something. He has someone here. I am not sure who it is, but I know that they are here, and they are watching you."  
  
Harry stood there staring at Snape in shock. "Malfoy." Said Harry. Snape nodded and looked again to see if anyone was around.  
  
"That is very possible that Draco is watching everything and reporting to his father, but I got the feeling that there was someone else who is in a position of doing something." Said Snape.  
  
"What about Professor Smith. I overheard Malfoy saying something to her a couple months ago."  
  
"No I am watching Alex and it seems that the death eaters are wanting to get a hold of her just as bad as me." Said Snape. "The thing is Harry I think that it might be someone that we haven't considered yet." Harry nodded. He understood.  
  
"Thank you Professor." Said Harry. Snape nodded back a Harry and walked away. Harry stood there for a moment thinking, 'Who?' A couple of names flew by in his head, people who Harry thought might be a spy for Voldemort, and Cassandra was among them. She lived with Voldemort for six years and was back with him for the last two months, but there was the dream that he had about her been tortured, it felt so real. How could someone who was tortured like that be on his side? In the end Harry concluded that it probably wouldn't be Cassandra.  
  
Harry decided to go to the hospital wing to see her. He walked down the many corridors and finally found himself standing in the doorway to the hospital wing, where Cassandra was still up sitting in a chair by the window. Harry slowly walked towards her. She didn't seem to notice Harry was there; she was sitting in the chair staring out the window in the cold night as she stared Harry notice that she was rocking slightly and humming the familiar song that she did over the summer. Harry went to put his hand on her shoulder and when his hand touched her shoulder she jerk away.  
  
"No!" exclaimed Cassandra, Harry back away from her. She slowly turned to see Harry standing right behind her shocked at what just happened. "Oh I am sorry Harry." Her voice was so weak it seemed as through she didn't have any energy left in her.  
  
"Are you okay?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yes I'm fine." Said Cassandra, but Harry knew that she was lying. You could tell us by looking at her that she wasn't fine. She just looked really tiered, almost to the point where Harry wondered how she was able to even sit up. Her back was touching the chair because it was still too sensitive from where she had being whipped. Harry looked at her with great sadness. Why did anyone have to go through anything like that? He had been tortured by Voldemort before, but it wasn't nearly as long as she did, but still that was too much for anyone to stand.  
  
"Are you sure, Cassandra?" asked Harry and Cassandra turned and smiled a bittersweet smile at him.  
  
"Yes my dear boy. I am sure." Said Cassandra and she turned back to the window.  
  
"Er... Cassandra?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Can I ask you some question?" asked Harry and Cassandra laughed.  
  
"I know the questions that you want to ask. How did I get away from Voldemort?" said Cassandra and Harry was amazed that she said his name. Harry thought that she wouldn't be able to speak Voldemort name, and Cassandra sensing his surprise spoke. "Yes my dear boy. I am not afraid to speak his name, unlike so many others who are frighten to say his name. I know what he is capable of Harry, and I am the one who has a reason to fear him, but I don't fear him, because I know that he is not all-powerful. He is very powerful, but there are ways of stopping him, like you have shown the world, Harry."  
  
"Yes. I understand that, but how did you get way from Voldemort?" asked Harry.  
  
"I just got every lucky, Harry. Lucky that his Death Eaters weren't watching me as close as they should of." Said Cassandra as she ran her hand through her auburn hair.  
  
"Cassandra what happened to you. I mean... well..."  
  
"What happen to my hair and eyes?" Harry nodded. "Well Harry there are many spells, enchantments, and potions that can change a person's appearance. I have assumed many different personalities, Harry. I have been many different people in order to hide from his shadow. This Harry." She started to play with her hair. "This is the way I looked before I started to hide from him, but this is not the way I was born. I had blue eyes when I was little, but when I was six, Voldemort took me away from everyone I knew. He used to experiment his spells on me, to make sure that they wouldn't kill him. That is what happened to the way I look." Harry sat shocked. He stood where he was thinking for a long time. "Harry, it is getting late and I am really tiered."  
  
"Oh yes. I will see you later then." Said Harry and he turned and left the hospital wing as Cassandra got back into her bed. When Harry got back to the commons room Ron and Hermione was waiting up for him. He told them what McGonagall, Snape and Cassandra had told him. They stayed up discussing what Harry told them for a while until they went to bed. 


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight: The Christmas Presents  
  
The weeks rolled on and finally winter holiday was looming in everyone's mind as the last week before the holiday creep by slowly. The classes were getting harder and everyone was ready to have a break. The day before the winter holiday everyone was running around trying to get things in order. The usual Hogsmeade trip was not going to be taken this year, because of the threat of Voldemort. This didn't make a lot of people happy and forced everyone to stay on Hogwarts grounds that day, as the snow began to fall outside. Harry, Ron and Hermione, spend the day in the Gryffindor's commons room playing chess and some games of exploding snaps. After lunch they decided to visit Cassandra.  
  
When they entered the hospital wing they heard Sirius arguing with Madam Pomfrey. "What do you mean she just disappeared? She isn't suppose to go anywhere without someone knowing." Exclaimed Sirius.  
  
"I know Mr. Black, but when I got here this morning she was gone." Said Madam Pomfrey. She was quiet distressed. "I am not sure where she could be." Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other and then turned around to leave when Sirius noticed that they were there.  
  
"Harry!" called Sirius. Harry turned and looked at Sirius. "Do you know where Cassandra is?"  
  
"No Sirius. I don't know where I thought she was here. Why?" asked Harry?  
  
"Something could have happened to her." Said Sirius and he rushed out of the hospital wing looking very concerned. Harry took a step toward Madam Pomfrey to ask her a question, but she stopped him.  
  
"Mr. Potter I don't know a thing about Mr. Black's concern so don't ask, but I am concerned myself. That poor girl left and didn't even take any clothes, so she is walking around in that little nightgown that I gave her. It is way too cold to be walking around with only that." She said and returned to her work. Harry walked to the bed where Cassandra had been sleeping since she got to Hogwarts. Something caught his eye. The a few rays of sun were coming through the storm clouds. Harry went to the window to look at the snow-covered grounds, when he saw something on the edge of the forbidden forest.  
  
It was a big black animal. "Sirius?" Harry thought, but there was something odd about the way this animal walked, it wasn't a dog. "Hermione, Ron!" he said and motioned for them to come to the window without taking his eyes off the thing on the edge of the forest. When Ron and Hermione got to the window, Harry pointed down at the animal.  
  
"Is that a cat?" asked Hermione. Harry looked again. It was a cat, a big cat. They watched the cat until it disappear into the shadows of the forest a moment later.  
  
"I wonder what that was all about." Said Ron suddenly. "I mean with Sirius, and all."  
  
"I don't know." Said Harry. "I wonder where Cassandra could be and why she didn't tell anyone where she was going." They started to walk back to the commons room. Harry had a burning thought in his head. Should he tell Ron and Hermione that he thought Cassandra was a Dream Walker and that he thought that she might be working with Voldemort?  
  
"Hey guys I want to tell you something." Said Harry, "but we can't talk about this in the corridors. Lets go back to the common room and I will tell you. Everyone has left to caught the train." They walked to the commons room in silence, excepting the tower to be deserted, but when they entered the commons room they found Neville sitting in a chair near the fire very upset.  
  
"Neville are you okay?" asked Hermione as she rushed over to him. Neville wouldn't speak; he just sat there in the chair and stared into the fire. Harry, Ron and Hermione all sat down in chairs around him.  
  
"Neville, won't you miss the train, it is suppose to be leaving in about five minutes?" asked Ron. Neville looked up at him as through he didn't understand one word that was spoken to him.  
  
"Oh, no. I am staying here this Christmas." Said Neville. "My grandmother send me an owl this morning. There was an emergency with my parents, something is wrong."  
  
"Oh, Neville. I am sorry." Said Hermione and she went over to him and gave him a hug, but Neville just sat there.  
  
"Do you know what is happening?" asked Harry.  
  
"I am not sure, but my grandmother told me to stay here, because she was going to the what is happening. She got an owl from the hospital this morning. My whole family has been waiting for this." Said Neville and a tear slid down his face. Harry, Ron and Hermione didn't know what to say, so they all just sat there with Neville until dinner. They all went to Dinner and found that at the teachers table there were a couple of empty seat, but there was one seat that had been empty all this time and now was filled again.  
  
"Hagrid!" yelled all of them and they ran up to the teachers table and hugged him.  
  
"Why it is good to see you too." Said Hagrid. He had a great big smile on his face. Seeing Hagrid had come back had cheered up Neville a little, but he still looked very sad, and Hagrid noticed. "Neville what is the matter." Neville told Hagrid about the owl from is grandmother and just as Neville finished telling Hagrid the story of the owl from is grandmother another owl flew into the Great Hall. Everyone watched the owl as it landed next to Neville and looked at him as though excepting something, but all Neville could do was stared at the has though it had a letter telling him of his own death. Harry was the one who finally took the letter from the owl and handed it to Neville.  
  
"Neville I think you should open it." Said Harry. Neville opened the letter as he nodded his head in answer. He read the letter and as he got further into it his letter the graver his face looked. Everyone sat watching Neville anxiously as he finished the letter and sat there staring at it with a tear rolling down his check. No one wanted to say anything until Hermione stepped forward and put her arm around him.  
  
"Is everything okay Neville?" Everyone looked at Neville expectantly.  
  
"They say that my parents are dying." He said with a sigh that almost made Harry cry. "They say that they went into a comma this morning." Neville got looked up at everyone staring at him, and when he noticed that Hagrid was going to say something to him, he turned and ran out of the Great Hall, he didn't want to hear anything anyone tried to say. Nothing would make it better. Harry watched him until the door to the Great Hall were slammed shut behind him, then he began to run after Neville without even thinking about it. Ron was about to follow Harry, but Hermione grabbed his arm. "No let Harry talk to him alone." Said Hermione, and Harry was grateful because it would be a lot easier to talk with Neville if no one else was there.  
  
When Harry stepped outside the great hall he just caught sight of Neville as he ran out the doors to go outside. Harry ran out after him and finally caught up to Neville when they were half way to the lake. "Hey Neville wait up." Called Harry. Neville stopped and quickly turned around to see Harry running after him. When Harry finally stood next to Neville he notice that the snow was thick on the ground and that the cloud above were threatening to storm. "Neville why don't we go to the commons room and talk about this."  
  
"No Harry I just want to be alone. There is nothing you can say that will cheer me up." Said Neville his eyes now filled with tears. "You can't understand."  
  
"Neville I understand how it feels to lose you parents. I know how it feels to not have them there you whole life." Said Harry. Neville looked that Harry quickly.  
  
"I know you know how it feels. I am sorry to say that you didn't, but it is just that..." Neville gave a heavy sigh. "I always thought that they would get better and that we would be a family again." That hit Harry hard. Harry never thought about the hope of having his family back again. Since they had died when Harry was just a baby and had been gone the whole time he never had hope of having them back as Neville had with his family.  
  
"Neville I don't know what to say about that." Said Harry. "Sometimes I wish that I could have my family back, but I know that can never happen. I hope that the doctor's are wrong about you parents, but if he isn't..." Harry trailed off as Neville looked at him sadly. "If he isn't wrong, I am always here for you to talk to." They stood there in silence as small snow flakes started to fall lightly down the to the ground. After a few minutes Harry decided that he would go back into the school and leave Neville alone to think alone.  
  
"The letter said that there was a strange girl asking to see my parents late last night, before they went into their commas. The girl was told that she couldn't see them, but a nurse found her whispering something to my mother just before the fell asleep last night. When the nurse went to tell her to left the girl just disappeared. They don't know what the girl did, but they think that she was there to kill them." He said and Harry looked at him anxiously.  
  
"What did this girl look like?" asked Harry.  
  
"They didn't say it was just a girl." Said Neville and looked at Harry, who looked very concerned. "What is it?"  
  
"Nothing." Said Harry, but that wasn't the truth. There were questions running around in his head about a couple of things. Who was this girl? Could it have been Cassandra? She was missing since last night and Professor Smith did say something about Cassandra being involved with the Longbottoms. Then the question that plagued him before came back into his head. Could Cassandra be working for Voldemort? Harry was thinking and as he was thinking he was staring at the snow falling down and lightly hitting the ground. Then he noticed something, footprints. "What is that?" Harry pointed to the footprints. Neville looked over to where Harry was pointing and they both moved closer to them.  
  
"It looks like a big cat what walking around here." Said Neville and they both followed the footprints to see what it was and where it went. As the two of them followed the footprint Harry noticed something odd... they suddenly disappeared. "Look over there." Said Neville and he was pointing off to the lake. Harry looked to the place that he was pointing and he saw a figure standing near the edge of the lake. Harry and Neville walked slowly to the figure. It was a girl.  
  
"Cassandra!" said Harry and he began to run to her, Neville close behind. When they got there they noticed that she wasn't wearing anything but a thin nightgown. "Cassandra are you okay?" asked Harry, but she didn't answer him. Neville went up to and touched her arm, but pulled his hand away quickly.  
  
"Bloody hell. She is so cold." Said Neville. They both came around to look at her. She was very pale and was staring out over the lake. Harry waved his hand in front of her face, but Cassandra never moved. "Do you think I should go and get one of the Professors?" asked Neville, but before Harry could answer Cassandra turned her head and looked at Neville.  
  
"You are Neville Longbottom are you not?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, I am Neville." He said, and he and Neville took a step back from her. She looked at the both of them with a smile and then stared back out over the lake.  
  
"Where did you go last night Cassandra?" asked Harry. Cassandra looked Harry in the eye and spoke.  
  
"I went to talk with some people that I knew before everything happened." Said Cassandra. Harry looked at her with a questioning expression.  
  
"Whom did you go see?" he asked and Cassandra looked from Harry to Neville and back again, but didn't answer. "Cassandra what were you doing?"  
  
"Harry, what are you trying to say?" asked Neville. Harry looked at Neville. "Your not saying that... my parents." Neville looked at Cassandra angrily.  
  
"You don't understand. There are things you would never think of doing and would never want to do, unless..." Cassandra trailed off.  
  
"Unless?"  
  
"Unless you were tortured for days and days." She said and her eyes began to tear. The two boys looked at her, horrified. "You see I have done thing that I am not proud of. I have done things... just to make it all stop." Neville took a step back from her.  
  
"You are the Lady of Dream. One of you-know-who's follower." Said Neville.  
  
"Yes and no. I am the one they call the Lady of Dreams, but I never followed Voldemort." Neville flinched at his name. "He would use the Cruciatus Curse over and over again, day after day, for six year. What else was I suppose to do." Tears stared to roll down her checks. Harry looked at her with and understanding glare, he knew what it felt like to be put under the Cruciatus Curse, and he never wished that on anyone. He couldn't imagine having the Cruciatus Cruse on you for as long as Cassandra had. He could closed his eyes and remember the day that Cedric died and Voldemort came back. He remembered how it felt to have the Cruciatus Curse placed on him, how much it hurt. "I was only five years old when I watched him kill my mother in front of me and then take me to do what he wanted to do. I could only last so long. Then I did things he wanted me to just to stop the pain..." She wiped her eye with her hands. "I just want to say I am sorry to all the people I wronged, just to make it stop." She stopped.  
  
"Then why don't you say tell them that you are sorry." Said Neville. Cassandra looked at him with such sadness in her eyes.  
  
"Neville..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I am so sorry." She said to and fell to her knees. "I didn't mean to..." she began to cry.  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Neville. Harry watched Cassandra just sat in the snow shaking as she cried.  
  
"I made your parents walk into that alley. I made them walk into Voldemort's trap. I told them in a dream, and they never questioned it. They just talked into the alley thinking that they were going home. They never knew what was going to happen. They are where they are now, because of me... I did it to them." She said.  
  
"Where did you go last night Cassandra?" questioned Harry. He needed to know. "Did you go see the Longbottoms?" Neville looked from Harry to Cassandra anxiously.  
  
"Yes." Whispered Cassandra.  
  
"You killed my parent." Said Neville. He took out his wand and pointed it at Cassandra wanting to curse her. Cassandra looked up at him and shook her head. "You killed my parents..." He was about to put a curse on her when Harry stepped in front of him, not for Cassandra's sake but so that Neville wouldn't get into trouble.  
  
"Don't Neville, if she did kill your parents she will pay, but not like this." Said Harry and then he turned to Cassandra and looked at her. "Are you still working for Voldemort?" Cassandra looked at him as if the question hurt her.  
  
"How could you ask that?" she asked and stood up still shaking from the cold. "I hate him. You will never know how much I hate him, Harry. I would never help him."  
  
"But what about Neville's parents. You were seen at there hospital last night Cassandra." Harry said. Cassandra nodded. "Then you killed them."  
  
"No... They are not died." She said and looked at Harry. "They are just lost. They need to find their way back." Cassandra took a step toward Harry and then looked at Neville. Then she rushed past Harry and lunged at Neville. Harry tried to stop her but she was to fast for him. Harry turned excepting something bad, but all that happened was that Cassandra grabbed Neville's hand. She looked up at Neville and then closed her eye. Neville started to shake uncontrollably. Harry rushed and tried to pull Cassandra away from Neville, but when he touched them some force pushed him backwards. Harry watched has Cassandra held on to Neville's hand for what seemed to him an eternity. Then as suddenly as it happened, Cassandra let go of Neville and collapsed on the ground next to Neville, who was starting to cry again. He looked up at Harry and smiled.  
  
"They are not dying... They are not dying." He said and looked down at Cassandra, whose lips were blue from the cold. "Harry we have to take her to the hospital wing." Harry looked at him with a confused expression. Neville was trying to pick Cassandra up all by himself as Harry watched for a few minutes, before helping Neville take her to the hospital wing. As they were entering the hospital wing they heard voices arguing from inside.  
  
"You were suppose to be watching her Sirius!" exclaimed a familiar voice.  
  
"I know that Severus." Said Sirius. "I don't know how she got out."  
  
"It will be your fault if anything happens to her." Said Snape. "Your fault..." He trailed off as he noticed Harry and Neville holding Cassandra at the entrance of the hospital wing. Both Snape and Sirius rushed over to them.  
  
"Where did you find her?" asked Sirius has he and Snape took Cassandra and placed her onto one of the beds. "She is so cold."  
  
"We found her by the lake." Said Harry.  
  
"Thank you for you help Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom, but now I will ask you both to go to your tower." Said Snape and then looked back to Cassandra. There was something odd in the way he looked at Cassandra, which Harry couldn't quite put his finger on. It almost seemed to Harry that he cared for Cassandra very deeply.  
  
"Will she be okay?" asked Harry. Snape looked back at him and nodded. That was good enough for Harry. They both walked back to the Gryffindor's tower in silence, until they reached the portrait of the fat lady. Before they went into the tower Harry stopped. "Neville? What happened when Cassandra..."  
  
"I can't explain it. I saw my parents and I knew that they weren't dying. I don't know if you can understand. I just knew." Said Neville and he turned to the portrait. "Unicorn." He said and the portrait swung open. They both walked inside to find Ron and Hermione sitting in chairs by the fire. "I am going to bed." Said Neville and he walked up to the boy dormitory with a smile on his face. Ron and Hermione watched him walked past them and then they looked at Harry with confused expressions.  
  
"What happened?" asked Ron. Harry told them all that happened outside and what happened in the hospital wing when he over heard Snape and Sirius arguing about Cassandra.  
  
"So she is the Lady of Dreams and a dream walker?" asked Hermione.  
  
"It would seem so." Said Harry. "I thought she might have been when you told me about dream walkers awhile ago."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Ron.  
  
"I was going to but things happened." Said Harry and he yawned. "I am tired and I am going to bed. It is late." Harry got up and went up to the dormitory to find Neville already asleep with a smile. Harry got ready for bed and when he just slipped under the covers and closed his eyes he heard Ron enter the room. Harry opened his eyes to see what he was doing and saw that Ron was pacing in front of his bed.  
  
"Ron go to sleep." Said Harry.  
  
"But I can't Harry. Now that I know there is a dream walker in the school I don't want to go to sleep. Have you heard the stories about dream walkers that they would tell children?" Harry shook his head and sat up in his bed. "They can make you do thing, and afterward you don't know what you did. They can make you think that you are running thought a forest playing with friends when you are actually running off a cliff." Harry watched as Ron paced, he was really upset about this.  
  
"Here Ron if it will make you feel better you can wear the ring." Said Harry and he took off the chain with the ring on it. Then handed over to Ron. "I don't need it."  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Ron.  
  
"Yes. Hermione said that there is only one dream walker born every hundred years so that means Cassandra is the only dream walker around here, and I trust her. No matter what I thought before. I trust her now, go ahead and wear the ring for now, so that you can get some sleep." Said Harry and Ron took the chain.  
  
"Thanks." He said as he put it on and went to sleep. Not long after Ron fell asleep Harry was finally able to get to sleep as well, but it wasn't a very restful sleep. He kept turning over in his sleep. When he woke the next morning he couldn't remember what he was dreaming about but he had the feeling as though someone had been chasing him, but Harry was able to out run whoever it was.  
  
The next week rolled by without anything happening. Cassandra was still unconscious in the hospital wing, and Madam Pomfrey couldn't understand why. There wasn't anything physically wrong with her, according to Madam Pomfrey. Whenever Harry stop by to see how Cassandra was doing he wasn't to surprised to find either Snape or Sirius watching over her. Harry still was confused about the relation between the three of them, but he accepted that there was something there, and wanted to know more about it. He had righted to ask Sirius about it once, but Sirius changed the subject not wanted to talk about it. Harry couldn't understand why Sirius was acting so strangely, but Sirius wasn't the only one to be acting strangely at the moment. Neville.  
  
Neville still hadn't told Harry about what happened that day when they found Cassandra by the lake, and why Neville's attitude had suddenly changed after that. Since that day Neville had been walking around the tower happier than Harry had ever seen him, even with the daily letters from his Grandmother tell him that his parents were getting worse (according to the doctors). Neville stopped reading the letters from his Grandmother and just let them stack up in the corner, and would let Harry read them after he noticed Harry concern for him, but reading the letters didn't help with Harry concern for Neville it only made things worse, especially when Harry told Neville what was in the letter and Neville just smiled and walked away from him.  
  
Ron and Hermione were also concerned about things when Harry finished telling them everything he had wanted to tell them. Harry finally got the chance on Christmas Eve when all three of them were sitting in the commons room of the Gryffindor tower. Harry told them all the things that had happened since he first meet Cassandra during the summer, he told them about all the dreams he had, about the zoo and anything else that seemed important. He also told them that he thought she might of being a Dream Walker since Hermione found out what they were a couple of months ago, and about his suspicions about Cassandra still working for Voldemort.  
  
"But you don't think that anymore do you?" asked Hermione. Harry smiled at her and shook his head. "Why? I mean what happened to make you think otherwise?"  
  
"Well..." Harry started, but then stop to think. He really didn't know what happened to make him change his mind about it, he just did. "Well the day Neville and I found her, we asked her about her connection with Voldemort, and you should have seen the expression on her face. She was truly hurt by the suggestion that she was helping Voldemort with anything." Harry said and saw the concerned look on Hermione's face. She didn't really believe that that was the reason. She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again and just sat there thinking. The three of them sat in an odd silence for a few minutes before Ron spoke up.  
  
"Harry." Said Ron. "I believe that that might be a good reason for you to believe her, but I can't help but think that she still is working for you- know-who." Ron finished and looked at Harry expectantly. Harry couldn't find the words to explain to Ron the real reason why. He just knew that she wasn't. Harry sat and thought for a minute before speaking.  
  
"Well Ron. I find it hard to think that anyone would help Voldemort after they were tortured and experimented upon like he did with Cassandra. You guys saw the whip lashes on her back, and the old scars." Said Harry. Both Ron and Hermione nodded at him. They all sat for a while longer thinking about what was discussed and then decided that it was time to go down to the Great Hall for dinner.  
  
Most of the students had gone home at year and so that Great Hall was almost empty, except one Slytherin and one Ravenclaw, also Neville and Ginny, who were all sitting at the same table eating and talking together happily. The teacher's table was almost empty as well. Snape hadn't been seen in the Great Hall since Cassandra was found, and a couple of the other professors had been gone the whole break. Harry never liked it when the school was this empty, it just didn't seem right.  
  
The three friends took a seat at the student's table and ate until they were full. They stayed there talking to the other students for a while. Neville and Ginny had started a debate about the Quidditch season and everyone had there own opinions about. Jamie Bower, a fifth year Slytherin was the most vocal about how the Slytherin team was going to win this year, but Harry was also as vocal about the Gryffindor team.  
  
"Well you are just saying that the Slytherins are going to win this year, because you are a Slytherin." Exclaimed Ron.  
  
"Well you think your house is going to win, so don't talk to me about being a little bias." Retorted Jamie. She smiled slightly at Ron, who began to laugh.  
  
"That is true." Said Ron. He turned to the sixth year Ravenclaw that had remain silent and asked him his opinion. "So David, what do you think? I probably know what you are going to say."  
  
"Well actually." The sixth year Ravenclaw said in a matter-of-fact tone. "If I were to bet on this years season, my money would be on the Gryffindor team." Everyone sat shocked at what David had just said. No one said anything for a while as they stared at him. Then after a few minute of silence Ron was the first to speak.  
  
"There you have it. I think that end the argument. Gryffindor will win the season." Ron said and smiled at Jamie, but all Jamie could do was stick out her tongue playfully as everyone laughed. This surprised Harry a little. He could believe that a Slytherin would even talk to a Gryffindor let alone joke around with them, but Jamie was sitting there laughing and joking with the rest of them. Not long after David got up to do some homework, leaving the Gryffindors and the Slytherin alone together.  
  
"You know, you are nothing like what Draco say you are." Jamie said suddenly.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.  
  
"Well he is always bad mouthing you to the Slytherins. He says a lot of things. I don't like him much." Said Jamie in a matter-of-fact tone.  
  
"I don't know why he hates me so much, but I know that he isn't my biggest fan, and I am not his either." Said Harry.  
  
"Yeah Malfoy is just a little git!"  
  
"Ron!" exclaimed Hermione.  
  
"What?" Ron looked as though he didn't understand why Hermione was so upset. They both looked at each other with questioning glares until they heard laugher. Both of them turned to see Jamie laughing, and stared in shock.  
  
"Don't worry about it. I am not Draco's biggest fan either. He walks around the Slytherin tower like he owns it or something. Giving orders to everyone, even the seventh years, and they all do what he says. That really pisses me off. I just want to go up to him and knock some sense into that boy." Jamie said with a flash of anger in her eyes. "Everyone is afraid of what Draco will tell his father and that it might..." Jamie stopped and looked around the room. She looked truly scared.  
  
"That it might what?" asked Ginny. The five Gryffindors leaned in to listen to Jamie a little better. Harry saw the fear in her clear blue eyes, as they moved around the room looking to see if anyone else was listening, but there was no one else in the room, even the professor were gone.  
  
"It's okay you can tell us, we wouldn't tell Malfoy you said anything." Harry said calmly.  
  
"I know you wouldn't. It's not that... it's just..." she trailed off checking the room one more time. "It's just that Draco has ways of finding out things, you know. You could be talking to yourself in the middle of an empty room and he will still know what you said. That is the reason everyone in Slytherin is scared of him. I don't know how he is doing it, but... well he creeps me out sometimes... you know." Harry could see that there was something else bothering Jamie.  
  
"Is there anything else you would like to tell us?" asked Harry. Jamie did another check of the room and brushed her hand through her shoulder length black hair. She looked at Harry, and he noticed that there were tears in her eyes.  
  
"Well it's just that..." she took a deep breath and when she spoke again it was in a low whisper. "It's just..." She leaned in so that they were just inches away from the five Gryffindors. "Voldemort." She whispered and then quickly got up and rushed out of the Great Hall with another word. The five of them watched after her in horror. No one could say anything for a few minutes.  
  
"Did she say what I think she said?" asked Ron. Harry nodded.  
  
"She... she actually said his name!" Neville said with a shocked tone. They sat there for a couple moments longer before deciding to talk more about this in the commons room. As they all stood up and started to walk for the doors of the Great Hall when they burst open. They all stood in shock as they saw who walked through the doors.  
  
A witch and a wizard stood there smiling at the students. Harry had never seen them before, but he knew who they were and it only confirmed what he was thinking when he heard Neville called out in joy. "Mum... Dad." Squeaked Neville as he ran towards his parents. They both took Neville in their arms.  
  
"Oh my dear boy." Cried Mrs. Longbottom with tears falling down her face. Harry watched with great joy at the reunion, but then it soon became too sad for Harry to watch. He sad was heavy with the wish that he could have his parents back. Harry wanted to leave but he felt a little awkward about moving as the rest of his friend were all laughing in joy.  
  
"Oh mum, dad I want you to meet my friends." Neville said suddenly pulling away from his parents. He took both their hands and started to pull them towards the four Gryffindors who had been watching. "This is Ron and Ginny Weasley." Neville pointed to the brother and sister and they nodded with a smile.  
  
"Molly and Arthur's children?" asked Mr. Longbottom.  
  
"Yes the younger two." Said Ron as his face turned bright red.  
  
"This is Hermione Granger." Neville pointed to Hermione.  
  
"I am the first witch in my family." Hermione said with a giggle.  
  
"I am sure your parents are proud of you." Said Mrs. Longbottom. They all stood around for a long moment before Mrs. Longbottom turned to notice Harry standing there with a long expression. "Oh dear. Who is this boy with the sad look on his face." Everyone looked at Harry for a moment before Neville spoke.  
  
"Mum, Dad this is Harry... Harry Potter."  
  
"As in the Harry Potter!" exclaimed Mrs. Longbottom. "We knew your parents they were really good people." Mrs. Longbottom said Harry put on a weak smile before turning to his friends.  
  
"I am going for a walk. See you guys back at the tower." Harry said and headed for the door.  
  
"I am sorry my dear boy, James and Lily were good friends. I am so if I upset you." Said Mr. Longbottom. Harry turned to the sad wizards and smiled a bittersweet smile at him.  
  
"Don't worry about it." Said Harry as he walked from the Great Hall. When he entered the corridor he noticed Professor Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall rushing towards him.  
  
"We just heard something interesting, Mr. Potter, maybe to can tell us if it true or not?" Professor Dumbledore stopped in front of Harry as he nodded in response. "Someone told us that the Longbottom are well and that they were seen heading here."  
  
"Yes. They are in here with Neville." Harry said and pointed into the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall rushed into the hall first, but Professor Dumbledore stayed in the corridor for a moment looking at Harry.  
  
"Would you like to talk to me about something?" asked the Professor sensing that Harry was a little upset.  
  
"No, sir. It is nothing." Said Harry. Dumbledore smiled at him and then entered the Great Hall. Harry began his walk heading for the Gryffindor tower, but then doubled back and headed for the hospital wing. He wanted to check on Cassandra again to see how she was doing. He walked down the long corridors thinking to himself; wishing that he could at least talk to his parents, but he knew that that would never happen. His was so into his thoughts that he barely noticed Professor Smith standing by the entrance to the hospital wing. Harry walked up to her and was about to call her name when he noticed that she was just standing there doing nothing but staring into the empty hospital wing. Harry walked up to her silently and when he came around to face the professor he gasped. Her eyes were totally white; there was no color in them.  
  
"Professor?" Harry said trying to get the professor's attention, but she didn't move. He put his arm on her to try and get her to move, but when he touched her he quickly moved his hand away. He got a small shock. "Professor!" Harry yelled, but that didn't help either. Harry was just about to go get someone to help when Professor Smith closed her eyes and when she opened them again the color was back. She looked at Harry and smiled.  
  
"Oh Harry. How are you?" asked the professor. Harry just stared at her for a moment and then answered her.  
  
"I am fine Professor, but are you okay?" asked Harry. Professor Smith just looked at Harry with a questioning glare.  
  
"What are you talking about Harry?"  
  
"Well your eyes... Well... They are all white." Said Harry. Professor Smith looked at him confused.  
  
"I don't know what you are talking about Harry." Said the professor. She sounds a little upset and without another word she walked away. Harry watched after her until she disappeared around the corner. Harry walked into the hospital wing and couldn't find anyone around not even Madam Pomfrey, so he went to find Cassandra and when he did he noticed that she was alone. This struck Harry a little odd, because every since she got there in October there was always someone with her, but now she was completely alone. Harry pulled a chair up next to her and sat watching his cousin as she slept. Her chest moved up and down in steady breaths, and her face looked very peaceful. Then Harry noticed that her eyes were moving quite fast underneath her eyelids. Harry realized that she must be dreaming and he started to wonder what she was dreaming about. He sat there wondering a long time, and didn't realized how tired he really was until he pasted out in the chair next to her.  
  
Harry had a great dream while he slept in the chair next to his cousin. In was in a room that was every familiar. It was his bedroom, in his parents' house before they died all those years ago. Harry was sitting in a chair next to the crib, when suddenly the door to the opened and he watched she his mother came into the room carrying him, as a baby and close behind her came a girl about eleven years old, she had short auburn hair and golden eyes.  
  
"Cassandra?" Harry thought, as he watched his mother sit down in a chair; Cassandra took a seat on the floor. Lily Potter started to sing to the baby that she was rocking in her arms. The song was very familiar and Harry recognized it right off. It was the song that Cassandra was always humming. Harry smiled as he listened to his mother's clear voice sing the words of the song, and it made Harry relax. After a few minutes of singing, Lily carefully laid the baby in it crib and then returned to her chair.  
  
"Auntie Lily?" said the little girl.  
  
"Yes my dear?" asked Lily.  
  
"Can you be my mother now?" Cassandra looked up at Lily with tears in her eyes. Lily just looked down at the girl extremely sad. She didn't know how to answer the girl. She wanted to say yeas, she would be the girl's second mother, but she knew that that would not happen. She moment for Cassandra to come sit in her lap and she didn't. Lily pulled her tight and started to rock her back and forth humming the song that she had just sung. Harry watched this scene with a smile on his face. Not long after that the door opened again, and the proud figure of James Potter entered the room. Harry stood up quickly and looked at his father as he walked across the room to the crib where baby Harry was sleeping.  
  
"He went right out James." Said Lily Potter with a smile.  
  
"Did he now? Well he was crying all last night and kept me up." Laughed James as he reached down and stroked the hair on baby Harry's head, which Harry noticed with a smile that it was slightly untidy. James stood up and turned to his wife and niece. "And what about this one?"  
  
"Well she was just about go to bed." Lily said and gently pushed the small girl off her lap so that she would stand. Cassandra stood looking sleepy and with a smile to the two Potters she turned and walked out of the room.  
  
"Okay... Okay. I can take a hint." She said as she left the room. Lily stood up and went to her husband. James embraced her in a long loving embrace. Harry watched them a while longer before wanting to jump up and hug them too, but he didn't. Then suddenly he was sad as he watched something that he could never have.  
  
"What is the matter Harry?" came a familiar voice from the chair where Lily Potter had been sitting. He turned to see the older Cassandra sitting there smiling at him.  
  
"I want to talk to them, but I know this is only a dream." Said Harry. He looked down at his feet very upset, before turning to his cousin again. "Are you dream walking in my dream?" he asked her.  
  
"Yes Harry. You fell asleep right next to me and I could hear you wishing in you head to be able to speak with your parent, so I brought you here." She said with a simple tone.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because you wanted it so badly, and it is Christmas, so I did it for you." She smiled. "Go ahead and talk to them." She pointed to Harry's parents would were still in there embrace.  
  
"But this is only a dream. They won't answer." Said Harry. Cassandra looked at him.  
  
"You think so?" She said and then looked up at the two Potters, who turned to look at Harry.  
  
"Harry dear, is there something you would like to speak to us about?" asked Lily. Harry's heart leaped up to his throat and his eyes started to tear as he heard his mother talk to him.  
  
"Mum?" was the only thing he could say. Lily smiled a warm and loving smile and nodded. Harry turned back to look at Cassandra, but she had disappeared.  
  
"Well out with it, Harry." Said James, who took the seat was Cassandra had been sitting.  
  
"I just wanted to say that... that I... I love you." Harry said as he wiped a tear that had escaped. James smiled and looked at his wife.  
  
"Harry, we know that you loved us, and we love you. We always will no matter what happens." Said his father. Harry nodded at him.  
  
"I only wish that you weren't just a part of my dream. That you were real." Said Harry. James gave a pointed look at his wife and she came and stood behind him.  
  
"But Harry were are real." Said Lily. Harry stand up straight.  
  
"Then you are just a part of my dream you are really here?" asked Harry.  
  
"Well yes and no Harry." Said James. "It is hard to explain. Cassandra called us here to speak with you, we aren't really here, it is all a dream. When you get up we will still be death, but your cousin called upon our spirits to speak with you." Harry began to cry uncontrollably. He was really speaking to his parent, for the first time in his life, beside the brief moment of the horrible day last year. In that moment he was at lost for words, and didn't know exactly what to say. He wanted for so long to speak with them about thing, but when it came around to it he did know what to say.  
  
"Harry we don't have mush more time here. The sun is raising and you will wake up soon." Said Lily as she moved towards her son and place an uncomforting arm around him. It came as a shock to Harry that it felt so real.  
  
"I... I want to say so much, but I don't know how." Said Harry.  
  
"Harry then let me say something. I am so proud of you and I don't know I have been prouder of anything in my life. We are watching you and have seen everything that you have done. We know that you have done great things and will do greater things. I only wish I was there to help you along your travels in life." Harry felt his mother squeeze her hands on his shoulders. "You cousin Cassandra has always been there for you even if you didn't know it. She has always watched after you and would never hurt you. I know that that has been weighing heavily on your mind and that is the only thing that I can tell you about the things that are happening right now.  
  
There are many things going on that I wish I could warn you about, but I am unable to." James stood up and motioned for his son to do the same. Harry stood and James pulled him into a fatherly embrace, which Harry had never felt before, except maybe with Sirius. Lily joined the embrace holding both her husband and son in the same moment. Harry started to cry once again. He never wanted to let go of them, but Lily and James pulled away and as Harry brought his hands up to his face to wipe away his tears he heard his fathers voice again. "We love you Harry and we are so proud." Harry removed his hands from his eye to look at his parent, but they were gone and his was back in the hospital wing. The sun was slanting through the window and Harry knew that it was Christmas morning.  
  
"Happy Christmas, Harry." Said Cassandra. Harry noticed that she was sitting up in her bed. She had brought her knee up so that her chin rested on them and she was hugging her legs. She had been crying as well.  
  
"Thank you Cassandra." Harry said weakly. She smiled at him and got up from her bad and hugged him.  
  
"You don't have to thank me Harry. Consider it one of the two Christmas present I am going to give you." She said as she pulled away from Harry and went to where she was keeping her stuff, before she left to see Neville's parents. She grabbed a long box and returning to Harry, gave it to him. Harry looked at the box with great interest. It looked it a wand box that one would get if they went to buy a wand. "Well open it." Cassandra said as she jumped back into her bed. Harry opened the box slowly and when he finally finished he stood staring at the contents unsure what they were suppose to be, other than two old wands.  
  
"I don't understand. Why are you giving me two old wand Cassandra?" asked Harry.  
  
"Silly they are just two old wand." She smiled at him. "They are you parent's wands." Harry stared at them and then carefully led each one looking at it with great interest.  
  
"How did you get these..."  
  
"Aw, but that would be telling." Said Cassandra with a laugh. "Oh did Neville like his parent Harry?" Harry shot a quickly look at her.  
  
"Was that you?" Harry questioned in amazement.  
  
"Yes." Said Cassandra and she sounded just like the little girl in his dream.  
  
"How?" Harry stood there staring at her.  
  
"Well Harry. They were just lost in their minds. I had to help them find there way out, that's all, but first I had to make them dream, then I showed them the way out." Said Cassandra.  
  
"Lost?" Harry said confused.  
  
"Yes Harry they were lost inside their minds and couldn't find the way out. I showed it to them and once they found it they were okay." She smiled at him. She went to speak but turned her head quickly towards the door. Harry turned his head towards the door, but there wasn't anything there and Harry couldn't even hear anything in the hallway. Harry looked at Cassandra who was still staring hard at the door with complete concentration, but still Harry could see or hear anything.  
  
"Is everything okay Cassandra?" asked Harry. Cassandra started to turn her head toward Harry but stopped half away, her eyes still on the door. That was when Harry heard someone walking towards the room quickly. Harry turned his head back to the door just in time to see Sirius walked in with a surprise and relieved expression.  
  
"Oh, Harry there you are." Said Harry with a heavy sigh of relief. "The last place we look and there you are."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You didn't show up at the tower last night your friends went to find Dumbledore and we have been looking for you all night. No one even thought of looking for you in the hospital wing." Said Sirius with a laugh.  
  
"Well I came to visit Cassandra and accidentally fell asleep here." Said Harry and smiled.  
  
"I think you should get to your tower, and I will tell Dumbledore where you were." Sirius said and started to walk out of the room before turning back to him. "Oh Harry I going to stop by you tower later today, since it is only you, Hermione, and the Weasleys."  
  
"What? Where is Neville?" asked Harry  
  
"He left with his parents. They seemed a little upset about saying something that might of upset you." Said Sirius and walked out of the room.  
  
"Well I guess I should be going." Said Harry and turned back to Cassandra to see that she was asleep. Harry smiled at her as he walked out of the hospital wing heading for the Gryffindor tower and within a matter of minutes he was standing in the middle of the commons room holding the box with his parent's wands in his hands. He opened the lid to the box and look at them careful as if they were both made of glass. He didn't know how long he was there before he heard Hermione call his name. Harry looked up to see Hermione and Ron rushing towards him.  
  
"Where were you last night?" asked Ron quickly. Then he saw what Harry was holding. "Why do you have those two old wands?"  
  
"They are just two old wands Ron. They are my parents wands." Said Harry. Ron and Hermione's expressions were ones of complete shock.  
  
"Where did you get your parents wands?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Cassandra gave them to me for my Christmas present, and that is were I was all night. I feel asleep in the hospital wing." Said Harry and then he told them about the dream that he had.  
  
"You actually talked to your parents? How?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Cassandra again. I guess Dream Walkers have the ability to contact people that are dead." Harry said and smiled to his friends. "Why don't we open our presents?" said Harry and they all opened their presents as they talked about things that happened that night.  
  
"Oh and what about Jamie. She looked really scared." Said Ron. "And she actually said his name. I wonder what she was trying to tell us."  
  
"I don't know, but I hope to talk to her later." Said Harry. They all decided to go down to the Great Hall for breakfast and see if they could caught Jamie, but she wasn't there and they didn't see her for the rest of the day. In fact they didn't she her for the rest of Christmas holiday and it wasn't until their first class with the Slytherins did Harry see her as she shot nervous glances at him and Ron. After class Harry tried to speak with her, but she left the class fast, trying to avoid the three of them. Harry started to get really worried about her. 


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine: The Warning  
  
"Mr. Potter!" exclaim Snape in potions class. "Will you please tell me what you were think about when you add the dragon's blood before the eye of newt, because I remember tell you not to or this would happen." Snape glared down at Harry and Ron, who both stood staring back at Snape with ashen faces.  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
"Well obviously not." Said Snape. Harry looked around the class and noticed that all of the Slytherins were laughing silently, all except Jamie, who was looking at Harry anxiously. Harry had been trying to speak with her for three weeks now without success. "Well Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley I suggest you two clean this up and start over again. This time don't put the dragon's blood in until the end." Harry stared back at Snape as he headed back for his desk. He was surprised that Snape didn't take any points away from Gryffindor and has he looked around the room, neither did anyone else.  
  
Harry and Ron got up to clean out their cauldron and get some new eye of newt, when he noticed that Jamie was walking back from their area. She sat down and looked at Harry pointedly then went back to work. Harry quickly look at Malfoy, who had also noticed that Jamie was over by Harry's area and was now glaring at Jamie angrily. Harry quickly made his way back to his desk without looking like he was rushing. When he sat back down in his seat he noticed that there was a letter laying on top of his books. It looked as if it was written in a hurry. Harry read the letter quickly  
  
Harry,  
  
I wanted you to know before it was to late. They are going to try something tomorrow. Be careful  
  
The not wasn't signed but Harry knew that it was from Jamie. Harry looked at Jamie who shot another glance at him before looking at Malfoy who was still glaring at her. Jamie suddenly looked very frightened as she hastily went back to work trying not to see Malfoy's glare again. Harry was now staring at Malfoy with a warning stare as Malfoy's glared moved from Jamie to him. They stared at each other, neither one was willing to look away first. It seemed like an eternity, and neither of them even blinked, until Ron nudged Harry to get him to pay attention. Harry slowly turned his attention back to the potion.  
  
"What's up?" Ron whispered with a concerned look. Harry showed up the letter that Jamie had placed on his books and then moment towards Malfoy who had turned his glare back to Jamie. "You don't think..." Ron's words were cut short when they both noticed that Jamie stood up. She was swaying on the spot were she stood, her hand on her head as though it was hurting her, and then in a weak voice spoke.  
  
"Professor..." was the only word she could say before she collapsed to the ground. Harry jumped up and rushed to her and so did most of the class, but only the Gryffindor students. Harry noticed that the Slytherin students were all sitting in their seats continuing to work on their potions.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" asked Hermione. Looking up at Harry and then Professor Snape who was trying to get some of the students to step away from the fall girl.  
  
"She has been very tired lately." Said Malfoy in a cold voice. "She hasn't been sleeping well lately." A smile stretched across his face as he looked at the small girl lying on the floor. Harry looked at Malfoy angrily. He rushed up to Malfoy who was now looking quite surprised to see the Gryffindor coming at him.  
  
"What did you do to her Malfoy?" Harry questioned him. A look of even greater surprise appeared on Malfoy's face as he noticed that Harry was going for his wand, but was interrupted by Snape's voice.  
  
"At is enough Mr. Potter!" exclaimed Snape. Harry turned to look at the Professor, expecting to lose points of his house, but was surprised by Snape yet again when he asked Harry to take Jamie down to the hospital wing with a note. Harry waited patiently at Snape's desk as he quickly wrote a note to Madam Pomfrey. When handed Harry the note he turned to the small girl and took out his wand to float her down to the hospital wing. Harry walked slowly down the corridor to make sure that he didn't harm Jamie. He started to feel really uncomfortable, because he noticed that as he passed classroom there were students staring at him as he passed.  
  
He breathed a sigh of relief when he finally got to the hospital wing and set the Slytherin girl down on one of the bed. Madam Pomfrey rushed out of her office to see what had happened and when Harry handed her Snape's note, Madam Pomfrey nodded and went to work. Harry stayed there for a few minutes before heading back to his Potions class. By the time he got there they were letting out. Ron and Hermione caught sight of him heading back for the classroom and rushed towards him. Ron had picked up all of Harry's things and was giving it to him when Hermione looked at him with a concerned expression and spoke to him with a worried tone.  
  
"Ron showed me the letter." She said in a hushed tone as the other students pasted them. "Do you think that she really means it, or what?"  
  
"Well Hermione I do think she means it, because of what happened to her just after she gave me the letter." Said Harry. "What I want to know is what happened to her and if she knew that that would happen? Is that what she meant as before it was too late?" Harry looked between his two friends who were shooting questioning glances to one another. "What happened after I left?" asked Harry and Ron's face lit up.  
  
"Well after you left Snape asked Malfoy to come into his office with him while we finished out potions, and while they were in there you could hear Snape yelling the whole time. I couldn't quite hear what he was saying, but when Malfoy came out he was really angry Harry." Said Ron with a laugh.  
  
"Hey guys don't you think we should grab some lunch before Dark Arts class?" asked Hermione with her hand over her stomach as it let out a large growl. Ron and Harry looked at each other and laughed.  
  
"Yeah lets go." Said Harry. "We can talk on the way there." They walked to the Great Hall talking about what they thought Jamie meant in her note and what happened afterwards. When they got to the Great Hall they ate lunch in relative silence. The story about Jamie had already spared across the school and Harry could hear whispered conversations about it throughout the Great Hall. When Harry, Ron and Hermione had finished eating there lunches they headed for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.  
  
"Harry are you going to tell Dumbledore or even Siri... snuffles about the letter?" asked Hermione as they entered the classroom.  
  
"I don't know. If I knew more about it I would tell them, but I don't want to disturb them if this is all a trick that Malfoy made up to have a laugh." Said Harry. He wasn't sure about Jamie just yet, but he won't past any Slytherin to do something that low to get a laugh at Harry's expense, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of Harry's mind that kept telling him that this warning was for real. When Harry looked back at Hermione she started to open her mouth in protest but quickly closed it when Professor Smith started the class. They took their seat quickly as Professor Smith didn't waste a minute to begin.  
  
"Okay today we will examine object that project more that one thing. They are very rare and very hard to find. I don't have one in my collection, but we are lucky because I know that someone in this room owns a ring that protects against three things." Harry looked at Professor Smith angrily, he didn't want everyone knowing that he had the ring, but now that she said it everyone in the school would know about it before dinner. Ron gave Harry a pointed look as the rest of the class whispered, wondering whom it was. Professor Smith walked straight up to Harry and looked at him with an expression that chilled Harry to the bone.  
  
Harry didn't like it, but what choice did he have, she was a teacher. He went for it, but when he couldn't feel it hanging around his neck he remembered he let Ron using it. Harry turned to Ron who already had it out and was waiting for him to realized were it was. He took it and gave it to Professor Smith. She was now giving Harry a look of interest. Professor Smith palmed the ring and headed back to the front of the class.  
  
Everyone was now staring at Harry in amazement that he had this very rare ring. Harry didn't listen as Professor Smith talked about the ring, instead he started to stare at the wall behind Professor Smith he was vaguely aware that he was drawing something on his parchment in order to look as through he was paying attention. He didn't know how long he was like that but the next thing he knew was Ron had slammed his elbow into Harry's side to get him out of his stupor.  
  
"Ouch." Harry said quietly as he turned to Ron who was motioning forward. Harry looked and Professor Smith was standing only a few feet from him, looking down at him with a half smile.  
  
"I hope I didn't wake you Mr. Potter, but I am finished with this." She said and handed Harry the ring and chain. Harry gave it back to Ron without a second though and when he looked back up at Professor Smith who was still staring at him with a half smile. She suddenly turned back to the class after a moment longer and started to talk about other amulets that protected against more than one thing. When class finally let out Harry, Ron and Hermione rushed out of the classroom, because Harry didn't want to stay and talk to everyone about his father's ring. He just wanted to get to dinner, because he was really hungry from the double Defense Against the Dark Arts class.  
  
"Why did she have to tell everyone about my ring?" asked Harry. Ron and Hermione stared at him for a minute, because Harry was really angry and they hadn't seen him like this over a little thing as talking about a ring. "I didn't want everyone knowing about my father's ring"  
  
"Harry. It is nothing to be getting this upset over." Said Hermione gently. Harry looked at her and smiled. She was right, as usual, but Harry didn't want to say so they walked to the great hall in silence. When they got there Harry ate his and while waiting for his friends to finish he wanted to look over the notes he took really quick. The first piece of parchment he pulled out was the rolled up piece that he was writing on while staring off in Defense Against the Darks Arts class. He didn't waste time on it and place it on the table know that it didn't have anything important on it. He quickly looked over some notes he took and then when Ron and Hermione were finished eating, he gathered all of his things and started to head out.  
  
"Oh Harry you forgot this." Said Hermione as she picked up the unimportant piece of parchment.  
  
"That is garbage I was going to throw it way..." Harry stopped short when he saw the look on Hermione's face. "What? What is it?" asked Harry.  
  
"What were you doing when you wrote this?" Hermione asked quickly.  
  
"I was just staring at the back wall of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom when Professor Smith was talking about my ring." Said Harry and a wave of anger flashed in his eyes. "Why?" Hermione went to say something then looked around her see all the people in the great hall and then pulled the two boys out into the corridor where no one could over hear them. Hermione showed Harry the paper. He felt as if his stomach dropped down to his feet. "But... but how?" Harry stammered.  
  
"I am not sure. Are you sure you didn't know you were writing 'beware' over and over again for a whole piece of parchment?" Hermione looked at him with concern.  
  
"I am telling you that I don't know how this happened. I know I was scribbling on the paper but I just thought I was nothing important." said Harry.  
  
"Yes, but you were kind of out of it." Said Ron. "You didn't even notice when Professor Smith walked straight up to you and stood a couple of feet from you. She called your name a couple times, before I hit you." Harry looked at Ron and thought. Yes, he didn't even know that she was anywhere near him until Ron elbowed him. His brow was wrinkled with worry.  
  
"Harry I think we should tell someone about the letter and this. Right now, before anything else happens." Said Hermione. Harry nodded and they all headed for Professor's Dumbledore's office. Once they got to the stone gargoyle Harry stopped and stared at it he didn't want to go to see Dumbledore about this. He stood there at the gargoyle staring at it and debating in his head well he should go to see Dumbledore.  
  
"You don't want to bother him." Said a voice in his head.  
  
"But this is important." He retorted.  
  
"You don't want him to think that you couldn't handle a little thing like this. It is nothing, just a Slytherin trick that is all."  
  
"I don't know, look at what happened to Jamie I really don't think I is a Slytherin trick."  
  
"How can you be sure? If you go to Dumbledore about this and it turns out to be nothing he will be very angry at you."  
  
"No we are going to see Dumbledore and that is final!"  
  
"Harry!" Hermione's voice interrupted the debate. Harry turned his head to see the worried expression of his friend. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Why yes I was just thinking." Said Harry. Hermione raise an eyebrow in interest.  
  
"No you were talking to the gargoyle." Said Hermione. "First you said 'this is important' then you waited for a moment before saying something about Jamie, and then you waited for another moment before say that we were going to see Dumbledore and that is was final." Harry looked at her. Had he spoken out loud and why would there be only one side to his debate? He looked at the gargoyle quickly as he breathed out the password.  
  
When they got to the door to the office they heard voices coming from just behind the door. Dumbledore was talking to someone. Harry not wanting to wait another minute knocked on the door. A moment later the door flew wide open to show Sirius' smiling face standing there looked down at Harry.  
  
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss. Granger please come in." said Dumbledore from behind his desk. The three friends entered the office not even noticing the person who was sitting quietly in the corner. "Is there something troubling you three?"  
  
"Yes Professor." Said Hermione quickly and she told him about Jamie, starting with the Christmas Eve dinner to the letter and her collapse in Potions class, then she went on to talk about Harry's scribbling on his spare piece of parchment.  
  
"Interesting." Was all Dumbledore could say when Hermione was finally finished with her story. Dumbledore sat thinking as everyone in the room stared at him for an answer to what was going no and what might happen.  
  
"Well I see that you are busy professor." Came a familiar voice from the corner. Harry turned his head to see who it might be. Cassandra stood up she was still very pale, and the black robes that she was wearing didn't help much in that matter either. "I guess we will finish our conversation a little later then. Tell me if where is any way that I might help you." Cassandra walked from the room quickly. Harry wanted to say something to her, but she was out of the door before he could speak a single word. Sirius looked after her with an unreadable expression, which troubled Harry a little.  
  
"Professor what do you think we should do?" asked Ron quickly. Harry looked back a Dumbledore who still looked as through he was deep in thought.  
  
"Well one thing I think we should do, is to treat this as a creditable warning." Said Dumbledore.  
  
"You don't think it might be a Slytherin joke on Harry?" asked Ron in an angry voice, and was balling his fist as though Malfoy was standing in front of him.  
  
"No Mr. Weasley. I don't think that it is a joke, for the fact at Miss. Bower is still in the hospital wing and hasn't woken as of yet." The three friends stared at Dumbledore.  
  
"Is she okay?" asked Hermione.  
  
"We are not sure. There is no reason why she hasn't woken. She wasn't cursed and she didn't take any potions or at least none that Madam Pomfrey could find. We are all lost for a reason why she is still in this... this comma or lack of a better word." Said Dumbledore. Harry sighed inwardly and nodded. Jamie was in a comma because she was trying to help him, but why would she do this? Why would this Slytherin girl risk her life to help Harry, and she knew something like this would happen.  
  
"So what do we do?" asked Harry in a weak voice.  
  
"Well I don't want you going around the school alone. If you need to go any where I want someone else to be with you." He stared at Harry until he was giving an answer.  
  
"Yes sir." Whispered Harry. He didn't like having to be followed everywhere he went.  
  
"As for the scribbling I am not sure what happened, it is surely another warning, but a warning of what, that is what I am unsure of, so as I said I would like for you not to be alone at anytime and if you don't have any where to be I want you to stay in you tower where you will be safe." Said Dumbledore and the three of them nodded that him and left the room. They talked to the tower in silence, and when they got there Harry went straight to bed. He didn't get much sleep, because he keep turning over and over again worrying about what might happen the next day.  
  
When Harry woke the next morning he was up before everyone else, so he got dressed, as quietly has possible and headed down for the commons room. He was about to go down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast when he heard his name being called from behind him. He turned to find Ron half dressed running down the stairs to the dormitories. He was pulling on his robe as he came to a stop in front of Harry. "Did you forget what Dumbledore said last night about not going anywhere outside the tower by yourself?"  
  
"No, Ron, I didn't forget. I just didn't want to wake you up." Said Harry as he sighed inwardly.  
  
"Well I am up now, so we can go to breakfast together." Ron said as he went to the portrait and pushed it open. Harry walked out after him. All the way down to the Great Hall talking about Quidditch and their practice just before dinner, and wondering if Dumbledore might cancel it for today.  
  
"I hope we are allowed to practice today. You know with the warning and all." Said Harry as they both walked into the Great Hall to see that they were the first ones there. They both sat down at the Gryffindor table eating and talking way as the Great Hall slowly filled up with the other students. When Hermione finally got to the Great Hall she looked a little anxious.  
  
"I waited a long time for you guys only to find out that you had already left." She said and looked at Ron with an angry expression.  
  
"Well I had to rush out, because Harry was trying to leave on his own." Said Ron and Hermione gave Harry a nasty look.  
  
"I thought he might." She said and then started to eat her breakfast without another word. When they finally had they're filled of breakfast they started for their classes. Hermione went to her class as Ron and Harry went to their divinations class. Harry hated this class so bad and the thing that he hated most about it was the teacher, Professor Trelawney, who always thought that Harry was about to die, and told him so at least once a month.  
  
"I can believe we are going to have to start using tarot cards today. I really don't want to play around with those... they kind of creep me out." Said Ron with a downcast look.  
  
"Don't worry Ron it's not like anyone will really tell you your future with these cards." Said Harry with a smile. They made their way up the tower and into the divinations classroom. Harry walked into the classroom and smelled the now familiar smell of Professor Trelawney's incenses. The rest of the class was already there and they were all playing with a deck of cards.  
  
"Ay yes. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley please come over here and pick out a deck of tarot cards which you will be spending the rest of the year using." Said Professor Trelawney as Harry and Ron made their way to the head of the class. "It is every important that you pick the right cards so that you can hear them when you are trying to read someone's future."  
  
"But Professor how do we pick the right cards?" asked Harry.  
  
"Well my dear all you have to do is listen and the cards that speak to you, the cards which you are first drawn to are the right cards for you." Said Professor Trelawney. Harry looked at the decks of cards that were left on the table. There were five different decks and they all looked the same and he couldn't pick which one he really wanted, so he just closed his eyes and the first deck that he touched he picked up and started for his desk. Ron joined him soon after that.  
  
"So how did you pick your deck?" asked Ron.  
  
"I just closed my eyes and picked." Said Harry in an off hand sort of way.  
  
"Yeah so did I." Said Ron and they both laughed to themselves.  
  
"Okay I want you to get to know your cards first off, so just look through them and introduce yourself to them." Said Professor Trelawney. Ron and Harry looked at each other, they were about to burst out in laughter, but soon after they started to look through their decks. Harry liked his cards; they had some interesting pictures on it about Knights and Ladies of medieval times. Then Harry came upon the last card, the death card, and Harry looked at it. He suddenly got a very bad feeling from this card. It had the picture of the grim ripper on it, in a long black clock holding a cycle. Its face was just a skull, and it seemed that the skull was staring at Harry and smiling at him. Harry stared at it for a long time, before he was barely aware that someone was talking to him.  
  
"Mr. Potter?" Professor Trelawney's voice came through his haze. Harry looked up at the Professor, who was looking at him anxiously. "Are you alright?" she asked.  
  
"Yes I am fine." Said Harry and he put the death card into the middle of the deck.  
  
"Okay so now you are going to partner up and read the other persons future. If you will look into you books to chapter thirteen 'The wonderful world of Tarot' you will find the meaning to all the cards." Everyone partnered up with their usual partners and began to read their futures. Harry did Ron's future first. Ron shuffled Harry's cards around and then handed them back to Harry, who place the first three cards down on the place one right next to the other.  
  
"Okay." Said Harry as he read how to read the cards. "Your past is..." Harry turned over the first card. "The Wise One, but it is upside down. I am sorry Ron but this says that you were really dumb in the past." Said Harry with a giggle.  
  
"No it doesn't." said Ron a little hurt.  
  
"Okay now to your present." Said Harry and he turned over the middle card. "The Fool and that one too in upside down, so that means... You are having good fortune." Ron smiled at that. "And last your future." Harry turned over the last card and smiled. "Temptation... that is all I have to said about it." Harry winked at Ron and they both burst out in laughter. It was a little loud and the whole class was staring at them by the time they stopped laughing.  
  
"Is there something funny gentlemen?" asked Professor Trelawney, who looked at Harry's cards and then back at Ron. "You have a good future Mr. Weasley. Mr. Potter what is your future?"  
  
"I don't know Ron hasn't done it yet, we just finished with his future and now it is mine turn." Said Harry.  
  
"Mr. Weasley do you mind if I read Harry his future?" asked Professor Trelawney. Ron looked at Harry who was shaking his head he really didn't want Professor Trelawney to be reading his future and tell him that he was going to die. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Professor Trelawney smiled and spoke first. "Thank you Mr. Weasley, can I use your deck then Mr. Weasley." Ron gave Professor Trelawney his cards and then turning to Harry mouthed the word 'sorry'. Harry shook his head and then got Ron's cards and started to shuffle them. He shuffled them good so that Professor Trelawney couldn't possible find the death card. He hand the deck to the Professor, who set them in front of her. She picked up the first three cards and place them one by one next to each other. Then she ran her hand over them with her eyes closed. Harry looked around him and notice that everyone was watching Professor Trelawney as she read Harry his future. He looked back at Professor Trelawney who smiled at Harry. "Are you ready, Mr. Potter?" Harry nodded.  
  
"Okay this is your past." Professor Trelawney who picked up the first card and looked before placing it down on the table. She face went pale as she place the death card on the table. Harry let out a sigh of relief, if he got the death card first there was no way that he could get it again. "You have death in your pass." Said Professor Trelawney.  
  
"Everyone knows that Harry has death in his pass, you do have to use tarot card to tell him that." Said Ron, and Professor Trelawney shot him an angry look.  
  
"Mr. Weasley will you please not speak while I am trying to read his future." Said Professor Trelawney and then went back to the cards. She picked up the middle card and looked at it again before she set in on the table. She looked at it and all the color seemed to drain from her face. Then she turned to Ron and asked him. "Did you tamper with these cards?"  
  
"No Professor." Said Ron. He didn't know what she was talking about, what did she mean by tampering with the cards. "I just looked through them and they all seem fine. I didn't tamper with the card in any way." Professor Trelawney looked back at the card with great anxiety. Then she looked at Harry as though she was about to cry.  
  
"What is it?" asked Harry. Professor Trelawney shook her head and then placed the card on the table as the whole class took a collective gasp. It was...  
  
"The Death Card, but would is that possible. You already used the death card?" Harry questioned.  
  
"I don't know." Said Professor Trelawney. She put a trembling hand over the last card and stared anxiously at Harry. "Okay your future is." She picked up the card and looked at it. Tears started to from in her eyes and she started to shake her head. Then she placed the last card on the table and Harry heard someone in the room scream as they all looked at yet another death card. Harry stared at the smiling skull as it stared at Harry. "I am sorry my dear boy, but the cards have spoken." Harry picked up the rest of the deck and looked through it. They were all death card.  
  
"But how can this be. Ron you said that these cards were normal just a moment ago?" Said Harry and he looked at Ron who was nodding at him. Harry looked at the cards again and noticed something interesting. The backs of the cards were all different. "Professor these death cards have come from different decks."  
  
"What?" Professor Trelawney looked at all the cards, and the rest of the class looked through their cards.  
  
"Professor my death card is missing." Said Lavender Brown. "So is mine." Said another student.  
  
"Mine too." Said yet another, and the rest of the class said the same. All of the other student's death cards were missing as well. Harry anxiously stared at his card, but then a moment later he looked through them, and...  
  
"I still have my card." Said Harry and everyone looked at him sadly. Lavender looked as through she was about to cry.  
  
"Okay you are all excused I need to figure this out. Please return all of the deck and I will sort this out. Harry and Ron were the first students to return their cards, wanting to get rigid of them as quickly as possible, and they rushed out of the classroom down to their next class. They met up with Hermione just outside the classroom and when they all were sitting down in their seats Ron told Hermione about what had happened in divinations class.  
  
"Someone must of tampered with the cards before you got there as some kind of joke." Said Hermione, as she never believed in the divinations class and least of all in Professor Trelawney. "Don't worry about it Harry."  
  
"I am not worried about what the cards said, but I am worried about what is going to happened when it get around the school that I am doomed to die." Said Harry as the rest of the students came into the classroom and in seeing Harry started to whisper and point. "See what I mean it has already started, soon the whole school will know what happened with the tarot cards and everyone will be all weird around me." Harry was right about that by the time their last class of the day had let out everyone in the school had heard about Professor Trelawney's tarot card reading of Harry's future.  
  
Harry just wanted to get this day over with and it was almost done when he with to Quidditch practice with Ron. "Well nothing has really happened to you today, I am thinking that it was all a Slytherin joking even more than before." Said Ron as they entered the locker room to see the rest of the Gryffindor team staring at them. "What, we aren't late are we?" Ron glanced down at his watch. The rest of the team just stared at them with down cast expression. "What's the matter?" George was the one to answer  
  
"No you are not late, but you just missed Professor McGonagall as she told us that are practice today was canceled."  
  
"What? Why?" asked Harry.  
  
"I don't know, she told us that we are supposed to go back to the common room so that she could address the entire house at once." Said Fred. "She wanted us to wait for you two before heading back to the commons room, so lets go." Harry and Ron stood in the same spot staring at each other and letting the rest of the team go ahead of them.  
  
"I beat is has something to do with that stupid tarot card thing that Professor Trelawney cause a panic with some of the students." Said Ron with an angry tone. Harry shrugged and turned to leave the locker room with Ron right behind him. The other members of the team had already got back to the castle as Ron and Harry started back up from the pitch. Harry's mind was racing happened everything that happened to him this year and what might happened during the rest of the year. What would Voldemort do to him this year? When suddenly Harry stopped in his tracks. There was something wrong and he could feel it.  
  
"What? What is it Harry?" asked Ron as he stopped along with Harry, but then his question was soon answered when Harry suddenly felt really cold and turned to see three cloaked figures standing on the Quidditch pitch.  
  
"Run Ron run." Yelled Harry, but when they turned back to the school there were more four more cloaked figures. Harry knew that they were both Dementors and Death Eater, but he had no time to think of what to do, because they started to advance on the two boys. Harry pushed Ron to move and they started to run in a direction with no Death Eaters or Dementors. They were heading straight for the forbidden forest, and Harry suddenly realized that is exactly where they wanted Harry to go. "Ron stay with me." Said Harry as he changed direction suddenly. They were now running parallel to the forest heading towards... "Hagrid's hut!" Harry thought quickly, but as it came into view Harry noticed that there were a couple of Death Eaters standing near the hut.  
  
The hut was completely dark and Harry realized that it wouldn't work because Hagrid wasn't in. He was probably up at the castle helping the other Professor with whatever canceled their Quidditch practice. Harry quickly changed direction again and Ron followed, they were heading back towards the forest, but Harry knew that he must not take a single step, because if he did he would never come back out, and Ron was with him.  
  
He didn't want anything to happen to him. Harry suddenly saw the great dark outline of the Whooping Willow and he got an idea. "Ron we are going to make for the Whooping Willow, they don't know how to get in after we go down into the tunnel, and I doubt that they know where it leads to." Harry said with labored breath. Ron nodded his head as they both ran to the great tree. Harry picked up a stick and quickly pressed the knot that made the tree stop. They both disappeared into the tunnel and press the knot from the inside to get the Whooping Willow to start up again. Ron and Harry stood at the entrance watching as some of the Death Eaters trying to get closer to the tree only to get hit hard by the Whooping Willow.  
  
After a minute or two Ron pulled on Harry's robes to get him to start down the tunnel. They both ran for what felt like forever, because every now and then one of them would trip over a root that was sticking out of the ground. Ron fell so hard once that he ripped his pants open at the knee. When Harry went to help him help he noticed that Ron's knee was bleeding pretty bed, but it didn't seem to bother Ron as they both ran as fast as they could towards the other end of the tunnel hoping anxiously that the Death Eaters didn't know where the tunnel ended up and that they hadn't gotten past the Whooping Willow.  
  
When they finally got to the end of the tunnel and the entrance to the Shrieking Shack they stopped and slowly crept into the Shack just in case there was any Death Eaters there. Harry and Ron looked around the familiar dust surrounding of the Shrieking Shack, were Remus Lupin used to change into a werewolf and where Harry found out that Sirius was his innocent of what he was accused of. They looked through the entire shack, but there was no one there. Harry let out a sigh of relief that they were safe for the moment, but they were still away from Hogwarts and they didn't know if there was any Death Eater waiting for them outside or even in the tunnel.  
  
"Lets find a window that we can see out." Said Harry and they searched the house again until they found a window with a board missing. Harry looked out of the window and saw Hogsmeade in the dying light of the setting sun. He couldn't see any Death Eaters or Dementors anywhere. "Okay Ron we are going to leave he and head for Honeydukes where we can take the tunnel in the basement back to Hogwarts."  
  
"Okay sounds good to me." Said Ron as they went to the back of the Shrieking Shack. The back door was boarded up, but if they went that way no one would have noticed that the door had been busted open. Harry took out his wand and whispering something quickly the door flew open. The two boys rushed out of the Shrieking Shack and headed for Honeydukes. The people who were walking down the street in front of the Hogsmeade stores looked at the boys with odd expression as they past.  
  
"Wait you two are Hogwarts student!" exclaimed one of the people. Ron and Harry stopped for a moment. "You two aren't supposed to be out of school..." The woman trailed off as she saw three of the cloaked figures who had being chasing the two boys. "My God!" breathed the woman as the cloaked figures started to head towards them.  
  
"Run." Shouted Harry and he and Ron ran straight for Honeydukes. They entered the store and the sales clerk smiled at them but the smile quickly faded as he saw the figures heading for his store. He went to the counter and got his wand form behind it. Harry wanted to help him fight off the Death Eaters, but Ron pulled him down into the basement before Harry could do anything.  
  
They jumped down into the tunnel and then running back to Hogwarts heard a loud explosion from behind them and the tunnel started to collapse. Running as fast a they could trying to just ahead of the fall earth, they finally came to the end of the tunnel. Harry went to open the entrance of the humped witch when he slipped he reached out for something to grab a hold of, and took a hold of Ron's robes pulling him down with him. Harry hit his head hard again the wall and sat up with his head on a cut on his forehead, which was bleeding badly.  
  
"Ron?" Harry called but he couldn't see anything the tunnel was completely dark. Harry pulled out his wand and said 'lumos' a faint light lit the tunnel and Harry saw Ron laying unconscious on the ground next to him. He hit his head as well, but he hit it hard enough to knock him out. Harry quickly opened the entrance in order to pull his friend out of the tunnel. Ron was a little heavy, but Harry pulled him clear of the tunnel. When Harry laid his friend on the ground and stood up he suddenly became really dizzy, so he put his hand on the wall to steady himself. He looked up at the wall where his hand was and notice that he left a bloody handprint on the wall.  
  
"Filch isn't going to be happy with me." Said Harry has he took out his wand again to float Ron to hospital wing when he became dizzy again, but this time he slipped into the darkness.  
  
When he woke again he was in the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey was busy with Ron to notice him sit up in his bed. His whole body seemed to ache and his head most of all hurt. Harry lifted his hand to his head to feel that the cut was gone, but it still hurt him. He started to get out of bed when Madam Pomfrey finally noticed that he was up.  
  
"Mr. Potter, so you decided to come back to the land of the living." She smiled at him. She looked him over and then smiled at him again. "You look all better now. Professor Dumbledore is waiting for you in his office."  
  
"How long was I out for?" asked Harry.  
  
"Only an hour." Said Madam Pomfrey. Harry went to ask about Ron but Madam Pomfrey stopped before a word came out of his mouth. "Yes Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley is going to be fine he just got a good knock on the head. You better go he is waiting." Madam Pomfrey turned back to Ron as Harry stood up and headed out of the hospital wing. He walked quickly to Dumbledore's office, where he found Hermione and Sirius sitting in chair into of the Headmaster's desk.  
  
"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione as she noticed Harry standing in the doorway of the office. She got up and rushed to him giving him a hug. She looked as through she had been crying. "Oh Harry I was so worried, when the Quidditch team came back without you and Ron Professor McGonagall got mad at them for not waiting for you, but when they told her that they thought that you two were right behind them we started to get really worried."  
  
"How long were we gone for?" asked Harry, he suddenly realized that he had lost all track of time, but he knew that he had been gone for a while.  
  
"You were missing for four hours Harry." Said Sirius.  
  
"Four hours!" Harry didn't thinking it had been that long.  
  
"Yes Harry four hours." Said Professor Dumbledore as he came out of one of the back rooms. "We were searching the entire castle for four hours and when Professor Snape found you and Mr. Weasley in one of the corridors we all were happy to find you alive." Harry smiled and took a seat in front of the desk. Hermione and Sirius followed suit. "Harry can you tell us what happened today?"  
  
Harry told the three of them all about leaving the locker room to find Death Eaters and Dementors on the grounds. Then he told them how they tried to get him to run into the forest to escape from them, but that he knew that he shouldn't go into the forest, so he ran for the Whooping Willow and all the way to the Shrieking Shack. Then about what happened in Hogsmeade.  
  
"But Harry how did you get back from Hogsmeade?" asked Sirius. At first Harry didn't want to tell Sirius and the Professor about the secret tunnel to Hogsmeade that he had used a couple of times, but then he remember that it had caved in and their was no hope of using it again. Harry told them about the tunnel under Honeydukes and how they had to run away from the cave in.  
  
"Every clever Mr. Potter. That was a every clever way of getting away from the Death Eater, although it would have been better if you told me about the tunnel long ago so that I might of known. You know that people could have gotten into the school that way." Dumbledore said with a frown.  
  
"Yes Professor." Said Harry with a down cast look, but when he looked back at the Professor, he was smiling.  
  
"I am just glad that you are okay. Now I know that you have to be tired, so you and Miss. Granger better be getting off to you tower." Said Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"But Professor can we go see how Ron is doing?" asked Hermione suddenly.  
  
"No Miss. Granger he will be fine for the night you can see him in the morning. Please, go back to your tower." Said Dumbledore with a stern tone. Hermione nodded and they both walked out of Professor Dumbledore's office in silence.  
  
They were almost to the Gryffindor tower when Hermione stopped. "Err... Harry do you might waiting here while I go to the restroom?" she asked and pointed to the girls' restroom right behind him.  
  
"No. I will be waiting right out here." He said but Hermione hesitated for a moment.  
  
"Are you sure... I mean if you need help yell and I will come running." Said Hermione as she rushed into the restroom. Harry laughed and then leaded up against the wall just outside the door to the girls' restroom. Harry was really tired so he closed his eyed for second. He left as though he might just fall asleep right there in the middle on the corridor. He stood there for a couple of minutes as sleep threatened to come upon him when he heard his name being called.  
  
"Harry..." A woman's voice called him. Harry opened his eyes excepting to see Hermione standing in front of him, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Harry..." Harry looked up and down the corridor, but no one was there. "Over here Harry." He turned to the direction that the voice was coming from. His vision was a little hazing, it was because he was so sleepy, or so he thought. He started to talk towards the voice when he saw the outline of a figure just ahead of him.  
  
"Whose there?" asked Harry as the figure took a step forward so that he could see her clearly and Harry gave a sigh of relief. "Cassandra, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Harry, I need you to come with me." Said Cassandra with an urgent tone.  
  
"What? Why?" asked Harry.  
  
"Because you have to kill Voldemort." Said Cassandra quickly and Harry looked at her in shock.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Voldemort is here Harry, and he will kill everyone you love if you don't kill him now!" said Cassandra.  
  
"I don't understand. How did he get in?"  
  
"There is no time for that right now he is down in the hospital wing right now. If you don't hurry he is going to kill Ron." Panic raised in Harry at the thought of Ron being in trouble. Harry pulled out his wand quickly. "No Harry you're not going to be able to use you wand on him. He has protective wards up around him to stop any curse or spell you shot at him." She said and then reached into her pocket pulling out a long knife and handing it to Harry she spoke again. "You must do this or he will kill everyone you love. Follow me." Cassandra started to run down the corridor. Harry put the knife into one of his pockets and ran after Cassandra trying to keep up with her quick pace.  
  
When Harry finally got to the hospital wing Cassandra was waiting for him at the entrance. She was staring into the hospital. Harry looked down the hospital wing at where Ron lay sleeping. Then Harry felt as if he couldn't breath when he saw the tall-cloaked figure standing next to Ron's bed his back to Harry. "Voldemort!" Harry whispered to himself.  
  
"Harry you are going to have to sneak up behind him in order to kill him." Said Cassandra and Harry nodded to her. Harry walked slowly and silently into the hospital wing towards Ron's bed. Harry put his hand in his pocket and took a hold of the handle of the knife, but keeping it out of sight as he crept closer to Voldemort. It seemed to take him forever to get to the tall man, and Harry would be able to forgive himself if he let Ron die while he was so close. He was only a few feet away when he pulled out the knife and started to raise it, when Voldemort turned around to face him.  
  
There was a look of shock in his eyes as Harry tried to bring the knife down, but Voldemort grabbed Harry's arm before it hit him. Harry tried to force his arm down, but Voldemort was too strong. Harry continued to try and stab Voldemort when he saw a Death Eater coming at him from the other side of the bed.  
  
"Harry stop it!" Said the Death Eater with a familiar voice that Harry couldn't place right then because all he could think about was killing Voldemort. The Death Eater started for Harry but was stopped by Voldemort.  
  
"No don't do anything." Said Voldemort, but it wasn't his voice. It was a woman's voice coming out of Voldemort's mouth. "Harry." The woman's voice said. "Harry wake up! Wake up Harry!" Harry closed his eyes for a second and opened them again quickly. His heart jumped up into his throat when he looked at who was standing where Voldemort was supposed to be.  
  
"Cassandra?" Harry said confused. "What is going on?" 


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten: The Ravenclaw Seeker  
  
"Harry what do you think you were doing?" asked Sirius who was standing in the spot where the Death Eater was a moment ago. Sirius walked towards Harry and took the knife out of Harry's hand. Sirius looked at the knife closely with a shocked expression and looked by at Harry. "Harry where did you get this knife?"  
  
"Cassandra gave it to me a couple of minutes ago." Said Harry and both Sirius and Cassandra looked at him confused.  
  
"But Harry Cassandra has been here with me since you left Dumbledore's office. I came right here and she had been with me the whole time." Said Sirius.  
  
"I don't understand." Said Harry.  
  
"I think I do." Said Cassandra suddenly. "Harry tell me exactly what happened." Harry told her about standing outside the restroom wait for Hermione when he heard someone calling him and saw Cassandra down the corridor. Then how Cassandra told him that Voldemort was in the castle and was going to kill Ron, and she gave Harry the knife. Also how he got there and could of sworn he saw Voldemort standing where Cassandra was and a Death Eater where Sirius was, but they spoke in the wrong voices. Harry finished and Cassandra took a deep breath. "Harry when you were talking to me in the corridor was you vision hazy?"  
  
"Yes I was. I just thought it was because I am so tired."  
  
"That is what I feared." Said Cassandra and she shook her head. "That is all nice that you understand what is going, but I still don't and I want to know. I especially want to know who it was that gave Harry this knife." Said Sirius and he showed both Harry and Cassandra the knife and on the knife Harry saw the Dark Mark etched into the blade.  
  
"It is the other half to the Lady of Dreams." Said Cassandra.  
  
"But you are the Lady of Dreams." Said Harry.  
  
"No it is not that simple. In truth it should be the Ladies of Dreams. You see Harry there are two Dream Walkers. I never knew who was the other one, but I know that she is out there. I can feel her. There are a lot of stories about things that the Lady of Dreams did, but I never did most of them. I didn't know what happened to her after Voldemort fell, but now this is prove that she is back and can get into the school." Said Cassandra and she looked at the two horrified faces of Harry and Sirius. Harry went to say something, but was stopped by the loud bang of the hospital wing doors flying open and Dumbledore and Hermione rushing in.  
  
"Oh Harry I am so glad we found you." Said Hermione.  
  
"Harry why did you come down here when I told you to go to your tower?" asked Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"Professor I think I can answer that." Said Cassandra and then she told him about what Harry told her and what she told both Harry and Sirius.  
  
"Are you sure Cassandra?" asked Professor Dumbledore and Cassandra nodded. "That is what I was fearing as well. I am going to place a couple of wards around the school incase this happens again, but it will not stop someone who is already in the school. I am going to ask Professor Smith if she could find some amulets and talismans that will help with that problem." They all agreed with what Dumbledore said.  
  
"But Harry I am a little confused about something." Said Cassandra.  
  
"What?"  
  
"How could the other Dream Walker get to you if you had the ring I gave you?"  
  
"That's because I let Ron use it. He couldn't sleep."  
  
"What? I told you to always keep it with you just for this very reason." Said Cassandra angrily. Harry went to Ron who was still asleep. He went to get the ring, but it wasn't there.  
  
"I don't understand it. I saw it around his neck this morning when he got dressed and I have been with him all day." Said Harry. He was getting very upset. "That was my father's ring. Now it is gone."  
  
"Yes I will need to get something else for you Harry and quickly from the look of this knife the other Dream Walker is definitely the other one that was a follower of Voldemort and that she is back in his service. She might do a lot of harm if we cannot find out who it is and soon." Said Dumbledore and he looked around the room at the worried expressions on everyone's faces, but the expression that most interested him was Hermione. "Is there anything you would like to say Miss Granger?"  
  
"Yes Professor. If the other Dream Walker is in the service of you-know- who, then why didn't she just kill Harry? She had the opportunity to do it, but she told him to kill Cassandra instead. It just doesn't make sense. If you-know-who really wants Harry dead, why didn't she just kill him? Why go through all the trouble of trying to kill Cassandra?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Good question, but I am afraid I do not have an answer to that, and the only one who does is the other Dream Walker." Said Dumbledore. Hermione still looked as through she had another answer stirring in her head.  
  
"And another thing Professor. I read in a book that there is only one Dream Walker at a time."  
  
"Yes Hermione." Said Cassandra. "There is only one Dream Walker at a time, but there are two parts to the Dream Walker like there are two different parts to a dream. The good dreams, where you dream of happy things and they always end happily, and the nightmares, they are both together. The Dream Walker has similar parts, two different sides. You see I never wanted to do those things that Voldemort made me do. I would like to see things come out well, but the other Dream Walker she only wants power, like Voldemort and will do anything to get it. I know I can feel the greed... and anger in her."  
  
"So there is always two different parts to a Dream Walker?" asked Harry.  
  
"Yes. The good and the bad."  
  
"Which makes it even more of a priority to put up the wards and find ways to stop the other Dream Walker from making anyone else do anything." Said Sirius. Dumbledore nodded in agreement and took out his wand.  
  
"First I shall place a protection spell on the hospital wing." Dumbledore uttered a few words that Harry couldn't hear and a golden light came from the end of his wand. "It is done." Said Dumbledore and suddenly there came a noise from the far end of the hospital wing. It was from the end bed, which had a curtain around it. Everyone stared down at the curtain in wonder. A few moments later a figure came out from behind the curtain, in a night robe and rubbing her eyes. Sirius quickly transformed himself into a dog before Jamie could see him.  
  
"I had a terrible dream." Said Jamie as she started to walk towards the group. Then she looked around her and noticed where she was. "What happened? Why am I in the hospital wing?"  
  
"You collapsed in your Potions class yesterday." Said Dumbledore. "Do you remember anything about what happened right before you collapsed yesterday?" Jamie looked as through they were straining to recall what happened.  
  
"No I can't remember anything about collapsing in Potions." Said Jamie. "The last thing I remember is saying goodbye to Nancy when she got on the Hogwarts Express for Christmas." Everyone looked at her in amazement. She had lost all memory of what had happened in the last two months. This must have shown on all of their faces, because Jamie suddenly started to panic. "What?" she said and started to back up down the hospital wing. "What's going on?"  
  
"Jamie it is the beginning of February." Said Dumbledore matter of faculty. Jamie looked at them and shook her head.  
  
"You mean that you don't remember warning Harry about an attack that would happen today?" asked Hermione. Jamie looked at Harry and it seemed as if she remembered something. She looked at Harry with a scared expression.  
  
"Yes I remember my father and my uncle talking about something about that." Said Jamie. Everyone looked at her.  
  
"Who is your uncle Jamie?" asked Harry.  
  
"Lucius Malfoy is my uncle." She said and Harry gasped. "He and my father were talking about something over the summer and I overheard it. Something that I don't think they wanted me to hear." She said and then looked straight at Cassandra with an anxious look.  
  
"What was it that you heard?" asked Dumbledore in a gentle tone. Jamie looked back at Dumbledore who trying to give her a comforting smile.  
  
"It was about the Lady of Dreams and how she was going to enter Voldemort's service if she liked it or not, and that they were going to get Harry."  
  
"That's not a shock. He has been trying to kill Harry since he was born." Said Hermione.  
  
"No you don't understand. They said get Harry not kill him. That is what Uncle Lucius said. His exact words were, get not kill. I am not sure what they meant about that." Said Jamie.  
  
"So they don't want to kill me?" Harry looked confused.  
  
"No, they don't want to kill you."  
  
"May I ask you Jamie? Why are you telling us this?" asked Harry. "I mean since it is your father and uncle."  
  
"Harry I am not like my father or my uncle or any of the other members of my family." Said Jamie with a frown. Then she went back to her bed and lay down. They all stared after her.  
  
"Harry, Hermione." Said Dumbledore. "I want you both to stay here tonight while I and the other professors make the rest of the castle safe for you. I will go to Professor Smith for some personal protection for the four of you students in here. Snuffle, Cassandra come with me please." Dumbledore turned and left with the big black dog and Cassandra right behind him. Madam Pomfrey came out of her office and helped Hermione and Harry into bed. She quickly checked on both Ron and Jamie then went to help the Professors with their plans to keep the school safe. Harry lay in his bed now unable to sleep. Thoughts about what Voldemort might do to him stirring around in his head. Harry didn't know how long he was laying there, but it was awhile.  
  
"Harry? Are you asleep?" Jamie's voice came from the end of his bed.  
  
"No I am not asleep." Said Harry as he sat up to look at her. Jamie sat down at the end of his bed.  
  
"Harry there is something that I wanted to ask you."  
  
"Go ahead." Harry smiled at her.  
  
"Well, Dumbledore said that I warned you that something was going to happened to you. Can you tell me what happened?" She looked at him nervously.  
  
"Well on Christmas Eve you told me that you didn't much like Draco, because he was having an attitude like the was running things in the Slytherin house. People were afraid of him because of Voldemort and you actually said his name, Voldemort." Harry paused for a moment as he watched her reaction, which was surprising to Harry, because she didn't seem to shocked at what Harry was saying. Harry continued. "Then yesterday in potions class you gave me a letter warning me about an attack that would happen today. A little while after that you collapsed in the middle of the class."  
  
"I actually said that I didn't like Draco?" Jamie said and laughed. "I never really liked my cousin much. He is really mean to people sometimes." There was a long moment of silence when neither of them looked at each other. Then Jamie sighed and spoke. "Harry there is something that I didn't tell Dumbledore about what I heard this summer." She stopped and looked at him seriously.  
  
"Yes."  
  
She looked around quickly and then lend in to whisper at Harry. "Well. I heard Uncle Lucius tell my father that Voldemort was going to do some 'recruiting' over the year and that at the spring holiday they will be initiated into the Death Eater ranks." She looked around again as if someone else was there listening to her. Harry looked around and noticed that both Ron and Hermione were still asleep, and that Madam Pomfrey hadn't returned from helping the Professors. "Harry I am scared of what will happen to me. I mean my uncle is a Death Eater and my father will be one soon, and Draco..." she stopped and sighed again. "I don't know anything about what he is going to do, but I am scared Harry."  
  
"Why don't you talk with Dumbledore..."  
  
"No!" Jamie started. "Then things will be really bad for me Harry. If I go and talk to Dumbledore about the things that I really know... I don't want to think about it." Harry didn't know what to say to her. He just sat there staring at her thinking about how brave she must be to even speak with him. Jamie got up and started to head back to her bed.  
  
"Jamie, if there is anything you need me to do, just ask." Said Harry quickly. Jamie smiled at him and then headed back to her bed. Harry stayed sitting up in his bed for along time thinking and soon it began to be light outside. Harry smiled when he began to hear Jamie snore form her bed.  
  
"Harry." Hermione said weakly and Harry realized that she wasn't asleep at all.  
  
"Did you hear what she said?"  
  
"Yes I did hear what she said." She opened her eye and looked at him. "What are you going to do about it? Are you going to tell Dumbledore?"  
  
"No I think that it must be up to her." Said Harry and Hermione sat up in her bed quickly.  
  
"But what if Malfoy does become a Death Eater at spring holiday? Do you want a Death Eater in the school?" asked Hermione.  
  
"No I don't, but she can't tell me if he really is going to become a Death Eater, and I don't want him to be kicked out of school because of something that might not happen. I don't like him, just like you, but I won't be like him and do something out of spite." Said Harry.  
  
"So what are we to do?"  
  
"Nothing for right now. We really can't do anything right now, but wait for something to happen." Said Harry with a sigh and with that he lay down and feel asleep. The next morning Harry woke late and noticed that Ron and Hermione had already gone. Jamie was still sleeping in her bed, so Harry got up and went to Madam Pomfrey's office. She was sitting at her desk writing a report about what happened the night before. She smiled at him and invited him to take a seat while she finished the report. When she was done, she told him that Ron and Hermione had left together a little while before he woke. She also gave him a silver chain with a red stone dangling from it.  
  
"Now you are supposed to wear that and not take it off. Professor Smith gave me that to give to you, Ron and Hermione have similar ones." She said and then smiling let him on his way. He went to the Gryffindor commons room as quickly as he could and when he got there he found Ron, and Hermione sitting in there usual chair with Ginny walking to them about school. When they saw Harry all three rushed to him.  
  
"Harry are you okay?" asked Ron.  
  
"I am fine. Are you okay?"  
  
"My head aches a little, but I am fine." Ron said and smiled at Harry. "Hermione told me her side of what happened last night, but I want to hear your side Harry." Harry sat down in his chair and told them his side of what happened the day before. When he had finished it was time for dinner and the four of them decided to go down to the Great Hall and have something to eat. They sat eating and joking for a long time before Dumbledore stood to address the students.  
  
"Attention everyone I have a few announcements that I would like to address. First of all Professor Smith will be providing each one of you with a talisman for protection from something that has come to my attention." There was a long silence where a couple of people from different houses began to stare at Harry as if they knew what had happened to him the day before. Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and noticed that Malfoy was giving him a sinister glare, but what peaked Harry's interest was that he saw Jamie sitting next to Malfoy with her head bowed not looking at anything, but her plate. Harry was about to say something about it to Ron when Dumbledore spoke again.  
  
"On a happier note, coming up on the spring holiday we will have a ball. Third years and up will be allowed to attend. Please inform the head of your houses if you intend to participate." Dumbledore finished and there was a great wall of noise started as all of the students started to talk anxiously about the up coming Spring ball. Hermione and Ginny began to talk between each other and giggle. Ron turned to Harry.  
  
"Do you have any idea who you might ask to the ball?" asked Ron, and Harry glanced over to the Ravenclaw table to see Cho as she laughed with her friends about the ball. Then she turned to see that Harry was looking at her, and she smiled at him. He smiled back at her.  
  
"Yes I have an idea." Said Harry. Ron looked over at Cho who was still smiling at Harry and he began to laugh.  
  
"Oh I see." Said Ron. Cho turned back to her friends and started to talk again, so Harry turned to look at Ron.  
  
"So do you know who you are going to be asking?" Harry questioned his friend. Ron turned bright red as he stared at his friend.  
  
"Aw. Yes I know who I want to ask to the ball." Said Ron as he ran his hand through his red hair and shot awkward glances at Hermione. Harry smiled and nodded his head in understanding, but didn't say anything about it.  
  
When dinner was finished the four friends made their way back up to the Gryffindor commons room where Hermione and Ginny talked while Ron and Harry played chess until they all decided to go to bed. The next week rolled by and Harry hadn't asked Cho to the ball. He just couldn't think of a way to do it, but he didn't want to wait too long in case someone else asked her. It was the Friday of that week while the Gryffindor team was coming back from Quidditch practice that Harry decided that it was now or never (and lucky for him Cho was standing in front of the doors to the Great Hall as Harry entered the castle). Harry saw her and paused for a moment. He had butterflies in his stomach and his heart was pounding faster than I ever had in his life.  
  
"Do it now!" he thought to himself. Harry took a deep breath and walked straight up to Cho with a smile. "Cho... er... can I speak with you?"  
  
"Sure Harry." Said Cho with a smile. She and Harry walked a part from the others.  
  
"Cho?" said Harry nervously.  
  
"Yes Harry?"  
  
"Er... Will you go to the ball with me?" Harry asked quickly in order to get it all out.  
  
"Yes I would love to Harry." Said Cho smiling brighter than she was before. Harry stared at her as thought he was in shock. Then smiled back excitedly.  
  
"Great." was all that Harry could say. Cho laughed and gave Harry a little kiss on the cheek. Then as she walked away she shouted back at him.  
  
"We will talk more about this later. I have to get to practice. We have a game against each other in one week." And with that she was gone. Harry stared after her until he could no longer see her, and when he turned to go to the Gryffindor tower he saw Ron, Fred and George standing behind him, all three Weasleys were smiling at him. Then they suddenly broke out in laughter, and Fred and George recreated the scene over again in their own way, which made Harry laugh as well. When Fred and George were done, they all headed for the Gryffindor tower, laughing.  
  
"Well at least you got it over with. I still have to ask Her..."  
  
"Who are you going to ask to the ball?" asked Fred suddenly with great interest. Ron looked at his older brother suddenly lost for words. Harry could tell if Ron wanted to let his brothers know or not.  
  
"Hermione." Harry said suddenly not wanting to want for Ron to work up the courage to tell them. Fred and George looked at each other.  
  
"Finally!" said Fred and George at the same time. Ron and Harry look at the twin. Harry was actually thinking the same thing.  
  
"What do you mean finally?" asked Ron.  
  
"Well you have been mooning over her for over a year now Ron." Said Fred.  
  
"Yeah and we are tired of you acting like you aren't" George chimed in. Harry looked at his friend and laughed.  
  
"They have a point Ron." Said Harry quickly and laughed again. They walked the rest of the way in silence. When they all climbed through the portrait hole they saw Hermione sitting in their usual corner, in her over stuffed chair, studying. Harry pushed Ron over towards Hermione and then Harry, Fred and George stood in the other corner to watch Ron as he nervously walked up to Hermione, practicing what he would say. When he was only a few feet from Hermione he stopped and stared at her lost for words.  
  
"Oh hi Ron." Said Hermione with out even a look up at him, but Ron didn't answer he just stood there with his mouth open wanting to say something, but nothing would come out. Hermione looked up at him and gave him the strangest look. "Are you okay Ron?" Ron stood there for a moment more before finally saying something.  
  
"Yeah, I am fine. I... er..." Ron looked for help but didn't find it so he just said what he wanted to say. "Hermione will you go to the ball with me?" he said quickly and when he was finished he closed his eyes tight and didn't open them until Hermione answered, which was almost immediately.  
  
"Yes Ron I would love to." Said Hermione, who had the biggest smile on her face as Ron opened his eyes to see her face and smiling back let out a great sigh of relief. Hermione jumped up out of her chair and hugged Ron. For a moment Ron stood there shocked at the suddenness of the hug, but then he hugged her back. It was a deep hug that didn't seem like it was going to stop. Harry smiled at his two friends and turning to the two Weasleys standing behind him he notice that they were both smiling as well. Harry walked up to his two friends after a few more minutes of the hug and stood just behind Hermione. He cleared his throat at them and they separated quickly as they realized that there were people looking at them.  
  
"Oh Harry." Said Ron and he sat in an over stuffed chair next to Hermione as she sat back down in her chair quickly, her face bright red. Ron suddenly had an expression on his face as if he just remembered something and then turned back to Hermione. "You will never guess what Harry did just before we got up here."  
  
"What?" Hermione smiled up at Harry and then looked at Ron.  
  
"He asked Cho to the ball, and she said yes." Ron said quickly and Hermione smiled at Harry giggling.  
  
"I was wondering if he was going to ask her this year, because I hear from one of the Ravenclaw third years that she was talking about Harry in their commons room the other day. She was saying that she hoped Harry would ask her." Said Hermione. Harry turned bright red at what Hermione said.  
  
"Really?" Harry stood there and ran his figures through his untidy black hair. Ron and Hermione both looked at their friend and laughed. Harry soon sank into another over stuffed chair on the other side of Hermione and they all talked about things that they were going to do for the ball and the things that they were going to wear until they all decided that it was late and went up to bed.  
  
The next week went by quickly as Harry, Ron and the other people on the Gryffindor Quidditch team was looking forward to the upcoming game against Ravenclaw loomed closer and closer. The Gryffindor team practice everyday in preparation for the game, and they were feeling ready for their next match. Harry had only talked to Cho once since he asked her out almost a week before, and it was more of a formal talk, about what they were going to wear and when they would meet each other before the ball.  
  
On the morning of the Quidditch match Harry and Ron woke up early and went down to the Great Hall to have something to eat, but when they got there they didn't feel hungry at all, so they just sat there watching everyone come into the Great Hall talking about the match that would happen that day. Everyone was really excite, and as the Gryffindor team got up from the table to head for the locker rooms the Great Hall exploded with 'good luck's from the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuff, none of the Slytherins said anything to the Gryffindor team as they left, they only glared at them.  
  
When they were all ready Harry gave his usual peep talk and they were soon lined up to go onto the field. When the doors to the field opened letting the Gryffindor team out onto the cheer there was a wall of sounds they made Harry's stomach churn in excitement. He hadn't been this excited about a Quidditch match in a long time, because of the things that were happening lately, he was glad for the feeling. It got his mind off of other things.  
  
The two teams walked out onto the field and the two captains shook hand before Madam Hooch released the snitch, beaters and Quaffle. They were all on their brooms when Madam Hooch blew the whistle. Harry flew up above the action, careful not to get too high, he had some bad memories from that particular experience. He glance down to where the Professor sat and in seeing Professor Dumbledore watching everyone closely he let out a sigh of relief. At least he was there to protect people if the brooms fell again.  
  
Harry watched the game below him for a moment before starting to look for the snitch. He notice Cho sat she sat on her broom, at the other end of the field, looking for the snitch. He watched her for a moment until he realized that Cho was speeding towards the ground at an amazing speed. Harry followed quickly seeing the snitch hovering near the ground, but before either of them got there the snitch took off across the field. Harry moved to catch it and almost ran into Cho as she shot past him. He was catch by surprise, but regained his concentration and swiftly past Cho heading for the snitch. They started to climb as the snitch shot straight up then it stopped right above the other players.  
  
Harry and Cho were almost even until Harry put a last bit of speed to make him go past Cho. He reached his hand out to take a hold of the snitch and his hand closed in around it. Harry stopped along with Cho, who was smiling at him. Harry lifted his hand to show that he had the snitch and Madam Hooch blew the whistle to end the game. "Gryffindor Wins!" yelled Jordan Lee. Harry looked over at Cho; who was smiling at him, and he wanted to say something to her, but movement from behind her caught his eye. A Bludger was heading straight for Cho.  
  
"Watch out!" cried Harry, but it was too late. Before Cho could even turn around to see what was happening the Bludger hit her hard, in the head. Harry watched as Cho flew off her broom. "No." Harry cried and he dove to catch her. Wind passed his ears with a whistling sound as he got closer and closer to Cho, but it seemed that he wasn't going to make it before she hit the ground. He willed himself to go faster. The ground was so close now and he was just under her now. He pulled out of the dive and caught her, his toe brushing the grass as he tried to slow down.  
  
It was the first time that he heard the screams and excited noises coming from the stands and the group of people rushing toward him. He her down gently on the ground and when he pulled his hand from behind her head there was something on his hand. Blood. It covered his hand and he just stared at it. A panic rose in him and he couldn't do anything else but stare at the blood of his hand.  
  
Suddenly he looked up and he was no longer at Hogwarts, but somewhere familiar. A graveyard. But not any grave yard. The graveyard that Cedric had died in, but it was different somehow. He looked around and saw Voldemort with his Death Eaters standing nearby, but they were just standing there watching him. Voldemort had his hand up as if to keep back his Death Eaters. He looked around again and noticed a figure that he couldn't see clearly, standing opposite Voldemort. He didn't know who this figure was but he stood there staring at Harry's feet. When Harry looked down he saw the body of a dead girl laying face down in the grass. Harry's heart jumped into his throat when he realized whom it was.  
  
"Cho." He whispered. Anger rose in him, like he never felt before. It was a blinding hate for whoever killed her. He rose his wand and pointed it at her murderer, but he didn't point it at Voldemort he pointed it at the figure of the unknown person. Everything went silent, he couldn't even hear his own voice as he spoke the curse, but he could see the bright green light of the curse as it hit the figure. His whole body shook with hate as he watched the stiff body of the figure hit the ground hard, dead.  
  
Harry turned to Voldemort, still shaking from anger to see what Voldemort would do to him, but Voldemort was just standing there smiling at him with an amused sort of smile. Voldemort walked towards Harry, who didn't stop him. He whispered, "You are more like me than you would like to think. You will be mine soon." Then a moment later Voldemort got a step back and disappeared along with the Death Eaters, except for one who stood in the same spot watching Harry with a sideways glance. Harry couldn't see who it was, because of the mask that the Death Eater was wearing, but he could see the Death Eater's brown eyes. They seemed familiar to Harry, but he couldn't think about that right now, he had to go to Cho.  
  
Harry fell to his knees next to Cho's body, which was still laying face down in the grass. Harry picked up her body and pulled her close to him. He looked into her eyes, which were wide in horror. Her stiff body made Harry cry. She was dead and there was nothing that he could do to bring her back no matter how much he tried. He started to brush the loose hairs from her face as the Death Eater that had stayed behind came over to him knelling in the grass opposite of him and looking at him with those brown eyes.  
  
"Harry?" said the Death Eater. It was a woman's voice, a familiar woman's voice that came for behind the Death Eater mask. His mind reeled to remember where he had heard this voice before, his mind was working clearly though the blinding hate that he felt. "Harry?" The Death Eater said again and this time Harry knew who was talking to him. His eyes flew wide and his heart dropped when he realized whom it was.  
  
'No!' thought Harry. 'No not her, it can't be her!' Harry looked at her and he felt a tear fall down his cheek. "Ginny?" he said in disbelief.  
  
"Harry are you alright?" said Ginny. Harry looked at her and watched as the background melted away from the graveyard back to the Quidditch field where he was a moment ago. He looked around and saw people crowding in on him and then his eyes flew back to Ginny who was sitting in front of him with a worried look on her face. "Harry are you alright?" she asked again. Harry looked back at his hand and Cho's blood was still there on his hand.  
  
"Cho's blood is on my hand." Said Harry in an odd tone that had Ginny worry about him even more. Ginny stood up and help Harry stand up. Harry stood and noticed that Cho wasn't lying on the ground anymore, but was being carry away on a magical stretcher by Madam Pomfrey. Ginny walked him away from the group of people who were looking after him as if he had just lost his mind.  
  
"Harry are you alright?" Harry looked down into Ginny's innocent and very beautiful eyes to see the worry that lay deep inside them. Harry smiled and nodded at her, which made her smile at him and the worry in her eyes seemed to disappear in an instead.  
  
'That wasn't Ginny, her voice just came through the dream, that's all.' Harry looked back into her eyes as she smiled at him, and saw the pure innocence in them as she let out a little giggle. 'Ginny could never do anything like that; she is too sweet, to innocent. Ginny could never be a Death Eater.' He was kicking himself for ever thinking at she would do anything like that.  
  
"So we are going to the common room to have a party to celebrate our victory?" asked Harry.  
  
"No I am taking you to the hospital wing." Said Ginny suddenly very serious. "Harry you scared me out there. You wouldn't reposed to me when I was talking to you and I wasn't talking to you for awhile, Harry." Ginny looked up at him again and she saw that he was smiling at her.  
  
"Ginny I am fine." He said and then lifted her up into the air. She started to giggle wildly. "See I am fine." Harry put her down softly on the grass as Ron and Hermione came running up to him, both with worried expressions.  
  
"Harry what happened out there?" asked Ron who was very pale.  
  
"Cho got hit with a Bludger." Said Harry.  
  
"We are not talking about Cho being hit by a Bludger, everyone saw that. I am talking about when you got to the ground?" Ron was looking at him with the same serious expression that Ginny had a moment before. "Someone said that you went mad when you saw Cho's blood."  
  
"No I think I had a vision, but I really don't want to talk about that right now. I really want to see if Cho is okay and then go to the common room. Fred and George were telling me that if we won today they were going to have a surprise for us." Said Harry and then he looked at his face and they were all staring at him with shocked expressions.  
  
"A... vision. What do you mean vision?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Well I am not really sure. Everything seemed so real like it does when I have dreams about Voldemort." Harry noticed everyone shuddered a little when he said Voldemort's name. "But there was something different about it this time." Harry turned to walk up the front stairs, but stopped when he noticed that Ron, Hermione and Ginny weren't following him. They were still standing in the same spots staring after him in amazement.  
  
"Harry?" said Hermione suddenly. "How can you be so calm about this? You are acting as if this is nothing." Harry opened his mouth to say something but stopped. He didn't know why he was being calm at watching himself kill someone and seeing Cho's dead body in the grass, and Voldemort smiling the way he did. He should be extremely upset with everything, but he didn't feel anything about, not anything. Suddenly a panic rose in him that he had never felt before.  
  
'Am I turning into him?' he thought to himself. 'No I am not I won't be like him ever!' He looked at his friends. His panic must of showed on his face because Ron, Hermione and Ginny had very serious expressions on their faces.  
  
"Are you sure that you are all right?" asked Ginny. Harry looked at her and smiled, but it was a forced smiled and she knew it, which made her worry a little more.  
  
"Lets just go to the hospital wing." Said Harry quickly. "Please." He turned and headed into the school, and this time he was going with or without his friends.  
  
He walked quickly down the corridor thinking about the vision that he had just had. He was a little scared now, but not about what the vision showed him, but about would he was so indifferent about it afterwards. When he finally got to the hospital wing the thoughts of his vision were pushed from his mind as he saw Cho lying in a bed towards the back of the hospital wing. She was so pale and there were a lot of people crowded around her. The Ravenclaw team and a couple of Cho's friends where all standing around the bed whispered among each other about what happened and when they saw Harry standing in the doorway they stop whispering and looked at him in shock. Harry rushed to Cho's bed where Madam Pomfrey was busy trying to help her.  
  
"Is she going to be alright?" Harry asked Madam Pomfrey with a worried tone.  
  
"Yes Mister Potter, she will be just fine when she wakes up, which probably won't be for a good couple of days." Said Madam Pomfrey as if being out for 'a good couple of days' was nothing. Harry looked at Cho lying in the bed looking so peaceful. He was about to sit down in a chair next to her bed when Madam Pomfrey made everyone left. Harry stood in the corridor staring into the hospital wing one more time before turn and almost running into the Ravenclaw team, who was standing next to Harry.  
  
"Harry I want to thank you for saving Cho like that." Said Jessica Thomas, a sixth year Ravenclaw and one of the chasers on their team. Jessica smiled at him and then lent forward and kissed him softly on the cheek. The rest of the team thanked him as well, but they didn't kiss him. After they had all thanked him they headed for the Ravenclaw tower, and as they all clear out of the corridor Harry saw Ron, Hermione and Ginny walking slowly towards Harry.  
  
"Is Cho going to be alright?" asked Ginny. Harry nodded to her and she sighed in relief. Ginny looked at Harry and saw the worry in his eyes. "Harry didn't you say something about a party in the common room?" Harry turned to Ginny and smiled. She had always loved his smiled.  
  
"You always know how to cheer me up. All of you do." He said and they all walked to the Gryffindor tower. When the portrait whole sprung open, a wall of sound came bursting out at them. There was, in fact, a very big party going on in the common room, where the Weasley twins had announced that they had just bought a joke store in Hogsmeade and that when they graduate from Hogwarts they will be opening the store. Ron and Ginny were more surprised about the announcement than anyone else in the common room. They both rushed over to their brothers and talked start very quickly, but Harry didn't feel much like talking to them at the moment. He went to a window and sat on the window ceil looking out onto the grounds for a long while before he noticed that Hermione had come up behind him.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts, of should I say Knut for you thoughts." Said Hermione. Harry smiled at her.  
  
"I was just thinking about a couple of things." He said as he watching the sky turns a light shade of red. "Would you like to take a walk with me Hermione?"  
  
"Sure." Said Hermione and they both left the common room. They were soon outside heading for the lake. "Did you want to talk about something Harry?" Harry looked at her. He took a deep breath and told her about his vision, leaving Ginny out. Hermione stopped walking when he finished telling her. They both stood there looking at each other with the last rays of the dying sun vanishing over the Forbidden Forest creating long shadows across the grounds of the school.  
  
"Harry." She paused. "I don't know what to say about that. Are you sure it was a vision, because I really can't see you doing anything like that to anyone... ever."  
  
"I know Hermione, but afterwards it didn't bother me, at all." Said Harry and sighed. "That is what scared me the most Hermione. My indifference to the fact that I might kill someone." Hermione looked at him even more worried than before.  
  
"Well you know what I think about the whole divinations situation, and I am not worried about it." Said Hermione, but her expression was telling Harry different. He smiled at her for at least trying to cheer him up, but the smiled dissolved into another worried expression. "Do you think we should go to Dumbledore about this?"  
  
"I think that it might be a good idea." Said Harry. They both turned to walk back up to the school when their came a bright light from behind them. Harry turned to see what had happened when he notice that Hermione had stopped walking. "What's the matter, Hermione?"  
  
"Harry I can't move." Said Hermione. Harry went to help her when he saw another flash of light coming from the edge of the forest. It was heading straight for him. He tried to dodge it but it was too late and it hit him. Harry tried to move but his feet seemed to be stuck to the ground. "Harry what is going on?" Hermione asked suddenly.  
  
"I don't wonder, but I can't move either, someone must of..." he fell silent as he heard something from the forest that made him look up in the sky. He swore and then turned to Hermione.  
  
"Harry that isn't what I think it is?" said Hermione. There was a look of complete horror on her face. It was a low growling sound, and he knew that he heard it before, in his third year when he was coming back from the Shrieking Shack with his newly found godfather. It was the growl of a...  
  
"Werewolf." Said Harry and Hermione looked at him. Hermione quickly fumbled through her pockets, and she swore, it was the first time Harry had every heard Hermione say anything like that, and he was taking aback for a moment, but then was snapped back into reality as the werewolf slowly crawled out from the edge of the forest.  
  
"Harry I don't have my wand on me, do you?"  
  
"No, I put it on my night stand this morning before the match." Said Harry quickly and they both started to panic. Many things started to fly through Harry's mind as he tried to find a way to get out of this situation, but he could think of anything that was useful at the moment. Hermione began to cry as the Werewolf slowly walked towards the two-trapped students. There was nothing that they could do but wait for the Werewolf to get closer. It suddenly began every silent as the Werewolf got closer and closer, all Harry could was the soft growling of the Werewolf and the beating his heart, which was getting steadily faster and faster.  
  
'This is it.' He thought 'This is how I am going to die?' The thought ran through his head as he watch the Werewolf now only a few meters away get closer. Hermione scream as they both realized that it was heading for her first. Harry thought quickly. He picked up some stones from the ground and began to throw them at the Werewolf. "Hey over here." Harry yelled, trying to get the Werewolf away from Hermione. He through another stone and this time it hit the Werewolf square between the eyes.  
  
The Werewolf cried out in pain and then quickly to Harry. Harry stared at the now, very anger Werewolf, he had succeeded in getting it away from Hermione, but now it wanted him. Harry watched as the Werewolf rounded on him and he closed his has as the Werewolf was about to lunge towards him when he heard the sound of a cat hissing.  
  
Harry opened his eyes to see a great black cat standing in between him and the Werewolf. The Werewolf, in seeing the cat, took a couple of steps back before lunging forward and attacking the cat, but the cat was to quick for it. The cat lunged at the Werewolf a moment before and with a graceful movement torn its claws into the Werewolf. The Werewolf let out a howl of pain so loud that he was sure that everyone in the school heard it. The Werewolf stumble back and for a moment stayed where he was but the anger of the Werewolf made him lunge once more at the cat, but again the movements of the cat were too quick for the bleeding Werewolf.  
  
The Werewolf and the cat battled between each other, but it seemed the cat was winning as the cat pushed the Werewolf back into the forest, disappearing back into the shadows were only the sound of the Werewolf's cries of pain and the hissing of the great black cat could be heard. Harry looked at Hermione and they were both dumb struck. They couldn't think of anything to say. They both stood there for a moment in relief that the great black cat showed up and protected them from the Werewolf. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Hermione.  
  
"So how are we going to get back to the school?" he asked but it wasn't Hermione who answered him.  
  
"I think I can help you with that little problem, Mister Potter." Harry turned to see who was talking. Professor Snape seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and was looming over the two students with his wand in his hand. He pointed it down a Harry and whispered coldly. "Fininte Incantatem." Harry suddenly fell forward as he could move again. He did the same for Hermione, who also fell forward. They both lay on the ground looking up at Snape with curious expressions. "Come on you Mister Potter, Miss Granger, we should be out on the grounds... at night... with a full moon." They both got to their feet and looked up at the sky at the same time. The moon was so big, bigger than Harry had ever seen it before.  
  
All three of them were heading for the front door to the school when they heard at terrible sound coming from the forest. The cat had cried out in pain. Snape stopped dead in his track and turned swiftly to look at the forest. "No!" Harry heard him say softly. There was a look of panic on his face as he started running for the forest. "You two go straight to Dumbledore's office, IMMEDIATELY." Said Snape just before disappearing into the forest. Harry and Hermione looked at each other and then turned in the school. They were walking so quickly that they were almost at a run when they finally entered the school and headed for the Headmaster's office.  
  
They quickly moved down the corridors towards Dumbledore's office. When they got to the entrance Harry quickly whisper the password to it and the statue sprung back allowing them onto the stairs and they quickly ran up them and through the door. They were standing in Dumbledore's office before they knew it. Dumbledore was standing behind his desk and looking at them in relief. "I am glad that you are both alright." Said Dumbledore and then he looked at the door as if someone else was about to come through but there was no one there. "Where is Professor Snape?"  
  
"He ran into the forest after we heard the cat cry out." Said Hermione simply. Dumbledore looked at her with a worried expression.  
  
"He did, now did he?" said Dumbledore and moment for them both to sit down in the seats in front of his desk. They did, quickly. "Now tell me what happened tonight." They both looked at each other and then Harry began to tell the Headmaster everything that happened after they left the common room. "And you didn't see who it was that curse you?" asked Dumbledore, and they both shook their heads.  
  
"Whoever it was, was standing in the shadows and we couldn't see their face." Said Hermione. Dumbledore sat and considered all the things that Harry had told him.  
  
"Every well." Dumbledore said after a long moment of silence. "Since neither of you were hurt, I will ask you to head back to your Dormitories at once." He said urgently. Harry and Hermione quickly left the Headmaster's office and were on their way back to the Gryffindor tower in no time. They started discussing what had happened to each other.  
  
"What I want to know is how did Snape know where we were?" asked Harry. "He got there quickly." Hermione looked up at Harry and smiled.  
  
"You know he could have heard the howl of the Werewolf. It was really loud." Said Hermione with a smiled as they both stepped through the portrait hole and into the Gryffindor common room. The common room was empty, which shocked Harry, because it was still quite early. They were heading for their rooms when they heard someone call to them from over in the corner of the room. Ron and Ginny were sitting in their usual chairs wanting for Harry and Hermione to get back.  
  
"Why did the party stop?" asked Harry as he approached Ron and Ginny.  
  
"Didn't you heard that Werewolf cry?" asked Ron with a shudder. Harry and Hermione looked at each other with anxious expressions.  
  
"Yeah we heard it." Said Hermione quickly. Ron looked from Hermione to Harry and back again.  
  
"Okay what happened. You guys were attack by the Werewolf..." he said jokingly, but Harry looked at Hermione, which made Ron worried. "Where you?" Hermione sat down in the chair next to Ron, but Harry remained standing as he told Ron and Ginny what had happened with the Werewolf.  
  
"Someone curse you so that the Werewolf could attack you?" asked Ginny in disbelieve. Harry nodded at her. "You think that it was... You-Know-Who." Ginny whispered that last part.  
  
"I don't know." Said Harry with a yawn. "You know what it is really very late and I think was should go to bed. We can discuss this tomorrow morning." They all agreed and headed for their room. Ginny and Hermione said goodbye to the boys before they all disappeared into their rooms. Ron and Harry didn't say anything to each other before they both collapsed on their beds. Harry seemed to fall asleep just as his head hit the pillow, and he started to dream the instead he was asleep.  
  
He stood in a room completely unfamiliar to him. The room was dark, but there was enough light for him to see the outline forms of two people sitting in chairs opposite each other. The chairs were sitting in front of a low fire.  
  
"Master, please tell me what you have planed for the boy." Said one of the people sitting in the chairs. Harry recognized the cold voice right away. It was the voice of Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"He will be one of us. You heard the prophecy told by one of the walkers." The cold hiss of Voldemort rang in Harry's ears. "The boy will help me in my quest for power."  
  
"But will all due respect master, that is a very vague prophecy. How do you know that it is the boy?" asked Lucius.  
  
"Lucius are you questioning me?" Voldemort stood. A searing pain went through Harry's scar has Voldemort's anger rose.  
  
"I am sorry master." Said Lucius quickly. Voldemort sat back down in his chair and the pain in Harry's scar started to ebb away. "But master can't you at least tell me what you have planned." Voldemort place a long figure in front of his mouth gesturing for Lucius to be silent. "Not right now." Said Voldemort. "He can hear us." Voldemort turned and looked straight at Harry. Harry woke with a start. He was soaked with sweat and cold was very cold. He looked around the room. It was still dark outside and everyone else was still asleep. Harry got up and walked to the window. He put his arms around him, hugging himself, as he as on the window ceil watching the full moon set. The words of Voldemort still ringing in his head, "He will be one of us." 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven: The Spring Ball  
  
Harry didn't want to think about his dream and didn't tell anyone about it, but it was still haunting his thoughts in the last couple of weeks. Cho had been released from the hospital wing a week after her Bludger accident, and she and Harry had been seen together often. They would take long walks around the lake talking about things. Harry really like to go on walks with Cho, because she took his mind off of everything that had been going on in the last year, and she always seemed to know just what to do to make him smile.  
  
Classes weren't going to bad as well. Snape seemed to stop yelling at the Gryffindors, in fact, he seemed to have stopped yelled at anyone, and was much too worried about other matters. Harry didn't mind it much, but he could help but think why Snape was distracted. I must have been something about the night with the Werewolf, but he wasn't sure (it was Snape). Another person who was acting strangely was Jamie Bower.  
  
Harry would see her walking down the corridors, but she was never alone. Malfoy was always near her as if he wanted to keep his cousin on a very tight leash. She would walk just behind him with her head bowed and a defeated look on her face. One day Harry was walking to his Care of Magical Creators class when he saw Jamie and Malfoy arguing in an empty classroom. Harry stopped to listen in on the argument.  
  
"But Draco I don't want..."  
  
"I don't care what you want and neither does the rest of the family. You are going on the families Spring holiday and that is final." Said Malfoy is a savage tone. "When we get there your fate will be decided. There in no point in running back to your little friend."  
  
"But Draco..."  
  
"No buts. This is for your own good, Jamie." Harry was shocked to hear that, because Malfoy seemed to have a worried tone in his voice. Harry looked into the classroom. Jamie was sitting in one of the chairs and Malfoy was standing over her, but not in any way Harry would have thought. Malfoy had his hand on her shoulder and looked worried for his cousin. "Jamie." Malfoy said softy. "You know I am right. There is no other way, not with our family. We have to act like we were always told to act." Jamie closed her eyes and nodded her head. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she stood to face Malfoy. She reached up and hugged her cousin.  
  
"I know your right, but I am scared Draco." She said softly.  
  
"I know so am I." Said Malfoy. They started for the door and Harry moved quickly away and hid around the corner as he watched Malfoy and Jamie leave the classroom as if nothing had happened. Harry just stood there in shock of what he heard even after the two cousins disappeared down the corridor.  
  
"Did I just hear what I think I heard?" he thought to himself. "Draco Malfoy said that he was scared, but of what." Harry thought he knew what they were talking about. 'I heard Uncle Lucius tell my father that Voldemort was going to do some 'recruiting' over the year and that at the spring holiday they will be initiated into the Death Eater ranks.' Jamie's words echoed in his head, and he debated weather or not to go talk to Dumbledore about this, but something else Jamie had told him came to mind. 'If I go and talk to Dumbledore about the things that I really know... I don't want to think about it.' Harry didn't want to get her into any more trouble than she already was, but he didn't want her to become a Death Eater either.  
  
Harry suddenly ran down the corridors. He wanted to speak with Jamie. He ran the way he saw Jamie and Malfoy went. It seemed to take forever to find Jamie, as she was just about to walk into her classroom. Harry grabbed her by the arm and pulled her down the corridor into an empty room. Harry shut the door behind them and placed a locking enchantment on the door, so that no one could come in.  
  
"Harry what is the meaning of all this?" Jamie demanded. "You are making me late for my next class and you are suppose to be in class as..."  
  
"Jamie I know about your families Spring holiday." Said Harry quickly. Jamie looked at him shocked. She reached out for something to steady herself with, and tears came to her eyes.  
  
"How did you find out?"  
  
"Well I have this nasty little habit of listening in on other peoples conversations, especially when they feel that they have to hid in an empty classroom." Said Harry. Jamie looked at him. She was speechless. "Jamie, I was going to tell Dumbledore, but I wanted to talk to you about it first. Tell me that this isn't what I think it is. Tell me you aren't going to see Voldemort over your spring break." Harry said but the look on her face told him otherwise.  
  
"My father and uncle are making me Harry. According to them I am apart of the Malfoy family, no matter what my last name is, and I must be apart of the great Malfoy tradition." Jamie said as she sat down in a seat next to her. "But I don't want to die, and that is what will happen if I don't go."  
  
"We need to go to Dumbledore and tell him..."  
  
"No we can't. Harry I will be fine, and you know that even if... it happens I won't do anything to hurt anyone." She said "Please don't tell anyone about this, not even your friends."  
  
"But I have to tell someone..."  
  
"Harry, Please!" she was on the verge of crying. Harry thought about it. He had to tell someone about this, but if he did Jamie could get hurt, and he didn't want that. Harry stood there a long time thinking about it as Jamie stared at him pleadingly.  
  
"Okay I won't tell anyone for now, but if anything happens to any of the students here or any of my friends and family, I am going to have to tell someone." Said Harry reluctantly. "Do you understand me?" Jamie nodded her head. "And Jamie. You know you can always come to me if you need help." Jamie nodded and stood up and went to leave, but stopped at the door.  
  
"Harry I just wanted to say thank you for all that you have done for me, and goodbye, because I don't know what will happen." Harry stayed in the classroom for along time thinking before he finally left. When he entered the corridor he realized that he had totally missed his Care of Magical Creators class, and that he was going to be late for his next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts.  
  
Harry rushed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom just before class started. He took his usual seat next to Ron. All the Gryffindors were staring at him, because he wasn't in his last class. Harry looked at Ron and Hermione with a half smiled. Hermione was about to open her mouth to yell at Harry when Professor Smith came into the classroom and started talking the moment she stepped through the door.  
  
"Today we are going to review all the things that we have gone over so far this year, before you go off on your spring holidays tomorrow. After you come back from your spring holiday we will review the things that you have been taught over the past four years." Said Professor Smith. She started the review, but Harry wasn't listening because Ron kept poking him in the ribs to get his attention.  
  
Harry looked over at his friend, who mouthed, 'Where were you?' Harry smiled at Ron.  
  
"I will tell you later." Harry whisper. He looked at Hermione, who was staring at him with an odd expression. "What Hermione?" Harry questioned. Hermione pointed at Harry's hand, which was writing something on a piece of parchment in front of him, with a furious speed. He had to pull his hand away from the parchment in order to stop writing. Harry looked down at the piece of parchment and he stared in shock. Just like before the piece of parchment was almost completely covered with the word 'beware', except for the very bottom where something else was written. Harry read it quickly.  
  
Beware... Beware the dark one, the spy, and the one of fire.  
  
Harry suddenly realized that the room had gotten silent. We he looked up from the parchment and noticed that Professor Smith was staring straight at him. Her cold eyes seemed to look right throw him as Harry met her stare, but the moment he did Professor Smith broke off. She looked dizzy, but didn't let that bother her as she continued with the class. When it ended Harry quickly pack up his things and left the room before Professor Smith could ask him to stay. Harry made it all the way to the Gryffindor common room before Ron and Hermione caught up with him.  
  
"Harry what was that all about?" asked Ron as the three of them sat down into the over stuffed chairs where they usually sat.  
  
"I don't know." Said Harry as he pulled out the piece of parchment with the warning, and showed it to Hermione and Ron.  
  
"But Harry why does this only happen in Defense Against the Dark Arts class?" asked Hermione.  
  
"I was hoping you could tell me that Hermione, because I have absolutely no idea why any of it is happening." Said Harry.  
  
"Beware the dark one, the spy and the one of fire." Hermione read the warning out loud. "I wonder what it means." Said Hermione then she got up and headed for the portrait hole. "If anyone needs me I will be in the..."  
  
"Library." Both Ron and Harry said in unison. Hermione looked at her a little anger, but then turned and disappeared throw the portrait hole.  
  
"Harry where were you during Care of Magical Creators, Hermione and I had to make up an excuse to Hagrid, but I don't think he really believed it." Ron looked at Harry with questioning eyes.  
  
"Oh yeah, that. Well I can't really tell you where I was." Said Harry and he stood up to go up to his room, but stopped dead in his tracks when Ron spoke again.  
  
"What do you mean you can't tell me where you were, Harry? You can always tell me everything and suddenly you can tell me things."  
  
"Ron I made a promise that I would tell anyone where I was or what I did." Said Harry.  
  
"Oh I get it you and Cho found a broom closet somewhere, didn't you." Said Ron with a devilish grin on his face.  
  
"Hey Ron you guessed it." Harry said quickly and Ron couldn't tell weather Harry was being sarcastic or not. Harry quickly climbed the stair to his room and rushed through the door before Ron could ask him another question. He sat in his room thinking about things until he finally went down to dinner.  
  
The day of the spring ball was a very busy day, it was also the day of the second and last visit to Hogsmeade for the students, that year. Ron, Harry and Hermione all got up early that morning and eat breakfast together. When they had their full of breakfast they left for Hogsmeade. On the trip down to Hogsmeade Hermione told the two boys about what she found out about the warning.  
  
"I looked around the library, but I couldn't find anything one any of the three that were mentioned. Except in one book there was a ever small reference to the one of fire, although it wasn't very helpful." Said Hermione as the finally got to Hogsmeade. The first place they went was the Three Broomsticks for some Butterbeer. When they entered the small pub they looked around for seats, and found that Ginny was already there and had saved them seats in their usual spot. They laughed and joked while drinking their Butterbeer and soon they started to head back to Hogwarts to get ready for the Spring ball. Later Harry would remember that day sitting in the pub with his friends as the last day of laughter and happiness that they had before the coming of the storm, which at that moment was gathering on the horizon.  
  
The Gryffindor common room was bursting with activity while everyone rushed to and fro to get ready for the Spring ball. Harry and Ron dressed quickly and were the first people ready and waiting in the common room, watch people as they rushed around. Ron was waiting for Hermione to come down from getting herself ready as Harry waited from the time to come when he was suppose to meet Cho in front of the doors to the Great Hall they discussed what new tactics they were going to have on the up coming Gryffindor-Slytherin game for the final Quidditch match.  
  
Hermione came down the stairs from the dorms and walked over to Ron and Harry. Harry was the first to notice Hermione and when he saw her his jaw dropped, which made Ron turn around to see her. Ron suddenly looked pale as he looked at her. Standing there speechless she giggle at the two boys. She was wearing a form-fitting strapless blue dress, with a slit up her right leg that cam up to mid thigh. Her hair was swept up into a French twist with wisps of hair delicately framing her face. She looked so much better than she did at the Yule ball the year before.  
  
"Ron?" said Hermione trying to get his attention. He had gone quite pale and she was getting worried about him. "Ron are you alright?" Ron looked up into her eyes and smiled.  
  
"You are so beautiful." He said quickly, and before he realized what he said or what was happening, Hermione pulled him close to her and kissed him. Harry sat there shocked. When he suddenly realized that he was staring at the couple, he shook his head and walked to the portrait hole.  
  
"I'll meet you two at the entrance to the Great Hall." He called back to them, and without breaking the kiss off; Ron waved his hand at his Ron. Harry laughed and walked down to where he was supposed to meet up with Cho. He stood at the entrance to the Great Hall for what seemed to be forever watching couples as they walked into the Hall, laughing and talking quickly. He suddenly noticed a familiar face in the crowd. It was Ginny, her fiery red hair lit up her face. She had her hair down and it delicately fell down to her shoulders. Her dress was red with golden trimming and fit her from perfectly, it was the first time Harry realized that she was growing into a very beautiful woman. He smiled at her as she noticed that he was standing there watching people going into the Great Hall. Ginny waved at him and he waved back. The boy who was with her (a sixth year Ravenclaw, named Jonathan) turned to look who she was waving at and in seeing Harry waving back to her, he hurried her into the Hall. Harry had to laugh at that.  
  
"What does he think I am going to steal Ginny away from him?" he said to himself with a little laugh. Harry looked down at his hands think about Ginny and how she was more like a little sister to him, and he could never think of her any other way. He stood there for a long time staring at his hand that he didn't notice the person sneaking up behind him, before it was to late. Suddenly everything went dark.  
  
"Guess who?" came Cho's voice. Harry smiled.  
  
"Oh Susan my love." Said Harry jokingly. Cho took her hands away from his eyes, and punched him lightly on the arm. "Ow, what was that for?" he smiled at her.  
  
"That was not funny." She said and took a step away from Harry so that he could see her fully, Harry was speechless, she was so beautiful. She had her hair up in a loose braid, which made her neck look longer that it did usually. She was wearing a beautiful light blue mini dress, which came up to just above her mid-thigh. Harry smiled at her as she did a little spin for him, so that he could see every detail of her.  
  
"Why my dear you are completely stunning." Said Harry and took her hand to kiss it. He stared into her eyes as he bent down to her hand and only broke eye contact when he kissed her hand. Cho giggled and pulled him up so that she could look into his emerald eyes. They were leaning in to kiss each other when someone coughed next to them. They turned to see Ron and Hermione smiling at them.  
  
"Come on you two." Ron said with a smile. Harry and Cho reluctantly follow Ron and Hermione into the Great Hall. When Harry first stepped into the Hall then first thing he looked at was the enchanted ceiling, which showed that it was a clear night outside. Harry stared up at all the stars for a moment thinking about how small he really was in the whole picture, but after a long moment he left Cho pull on his arm, to bring him back to reality. Harry looked down at her and smiled as she looked up and saw the stars.  
  
"I always like to look at the stars. They seem... comforting to be." Said Cho as she pointed out some constellations that she knew of. Harry listened closely to her astronomy lesson. After a while Harry slowly became aware of the music that was play and looked over to see people dancing. Harry's eye was caught by Ginny's red hair as she danced across the floor with her date they were both talking and laughing. Harry smiled at the couple. Cho must have seen him looking over at the couple on the dance floor, because she suddenly turned to him and asked if he wanted to dance. Harry started to get nervous.  
  
"Well I really can't dance all that well." Said Harry, but Cho just smiled at him.  
  
"I know, I've seen you, but don't worry. I am a very good dancer." She whispered to him as they stepped onto the dance floor. Cho was indeed a very good dancer; in fact she made it look as if Harry could actually dance. This was the time that Harry was having fun dancing. They dance for a long time before taking a break. When they stopped they found Ron and Hermione standing by one of the windows of the Great Hall looking out over the grounds. Harry and Cho decided to see what they were up to, since it was Ron and Hermione who had interrupted their moment before.  
  
"What's going on over here?" Harry said as they walked up to the couple. Ron smiled at Harry and pointed down at a courtyard just outside the Great Hall. Harry looked down and saw a very interesting sight. There in the courtyard sitting on one of the benches talking together were Cassandra and Professor Snape. They looked as if they were having a good time.  
  
"Now that is interesting." Said Harry. "How long have you guys been watching them?"  
  
"For about a half an hour, but you missed the best part, Harry." Said Hermione and before she could answer Harry heard a loud burst of laughter and when he looked down he saw that both Cassandra and Snape were laughing. Harry raised an eyebrow in interest. "That was what I was talking about it is the third time, since we have been here. Honestly I didn't think Snape could laugh, but there you go."  
  
"Harry isn't that your cousin?" asked Cho, and Harry nodded. "That is just gross, your cousin and Snape together." Harry suddenly got an image in his head that he wish never would have been there, and by the look of Ron's and Hermione's faces so did they. "What he's like ten, fifteen years older than her."  
  
"It is closer to ten, but I really don't want to think about it." Said Harry. They were about to turn back to the dance floor when Harry noticed an unnatural silence had fallen in the courtyard. He turned back to the window quickly to see Cassandra staring hard off into the woods. She had a serious look on her face, and fear in her eyes.  
  
"What's the matter?" He heard Snape said, but Cassandra just stared off into the woods.  
  
"He is here." She said and Snape stood quickly staring into the woods at the same spot.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked her and she nodded at him. Harry felt a suddenly pain go through his scar and he cried out in pain. Cassandra and Snape heard him and looked up at the window where the students were standing. They exchanged serious looks at each other and ran off towards the forest quickly, but Harry could see this; his scar was hurting him really bad. Cho helped him stand, but she was talking quickly with Ron and Hermione, but he couldn't hear them. The next thing he was aware of was being walked out of the Great Hall towards the hospital wing, but before they made it to the hospital wing something happened.  
  
His scar suddenly stopped hurting him. He straightened up and looked at his friends. "It's okay, it doesn't hurt anymore." He said with a smiled, but they were still pulling him towards the hospital wing. When they walked through the door Madam Pomfrey rushed towards them and helped Harry to sit on a bed.  
  
"I am fine now honestly." Said Harry but they won't listen to him. Then a few moments later another surge of pain ripped through his scar, sending him back onto the bed grabbing at his scar and crying out in pain. Darkness surrounded Harry and he past out from the pain.  
  
It was dark in the hospital wing when Harry woke. His sight was blurred telling him that someone had taken off his glasses. He reach out to the nightstand and picked them on. When he put them on he looked around the hospital wing and noticed that there was a group of Professors standing at the end of the hospital wing.  
  
"Are you sure she will be alright?" Snape asked at Harry notice that Cassandra was laying in a bed in front of the Professors, she was very pale.  
  
"Yes Professor she will be alright just a minor curse." Said Madam Pomfrey.  
  
"Severus, are you sure that it was him?" asked Dumbledore.  
  
"Yes sir I am sure that it was the Dark Lord. He was in the Forbidden forest just as she said." Snape said.  
  
"I believe that it was with Cassandra feeling his presence and Mr. Potters pain in his scar, but I want to know is why he would come that close to the grounds." Asked Dumbledore.  
  
"He said that he would leave the school along if I would just give him Harry. He said that within the next few months there will be an attack on the school if he doesn't get Harry." Said Cassandra in a weak voice.  
  
"I see." Said Dumbledore. "So he told you that all he wanted was Harry, and that he wouldn't harm the school, interesting. Minvera, Severus will you please accompany me to my office, so that Cassandra can get some rest." The Professor walked down the hospital wing and out into the corridor. Harry watched them go. When they left Harry sat up in bed and thought about what he heard. There would be an attack against the school and many people will get hurt or possibly die, but he could stop it. All he would have to do it to let Voldemort take him. He could save so many lives. Harry leave back to sleep thinking about this.  
  
The next couple month was filled with anxious moments for Harry. No one knew about what Voldemort had asked Cassandra and Snape in the forbidden forest the night of the spring ball. Harry didn't tell anyone not even Ron or Hermione about what he over heard and none of the Professors say anything to any of the students. Harry became silent over the last month and his friends started to really worry about him. He started getting jumpy about every sudden noise. The storm clouds that had been gathering on the horizon and were slowly clouding the skies overhead, suddenly they broke and the storm began to rage. 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve: Family Secrets  
  
It was the day before the Quidditch final and it had been raining all day. Harry had a bad feeling all day, but he brushed it off as having to go to double poisons. Harry sat in the Great Hall with Ron, Hermione and Ginny eating lunch in silence. There was a great silence that hung in the Great Hall that came from the gray and rainy day. Harry picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet and read the front page.  
  
Rumors of You-Know-Who's Return Just Create Chaos  
  
There has been a raise in the usage of the three unforgivable curses as of recently. That least four wizards and witches have died as a result of the raise in the curse. This report ask the Minister of Magic himself about the raise in the usage of the three terrible curse and he was quoted on saying. "The only reason for the raise of curse used is a direct result of the wild rumors flying around about you-know-who, and I would like to go on record in saying that He has not return nor will he ever return. These rumors are dangerous and deathly. The people you should be blaming for the death are not You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters, but Headmaster Dumbledore and Harry Potter for starting these god awful rumors." Which brings this reporter to think that maybe the Minister is correct in what he says. If You-Know-Who has returned wouldn't he of already announced himself before now, it has been a year almost and if He isn't back, then who really is to blame. Could the Minister be right in blaming Hogwarts Headmaster and The Boy Who Lived? That would be up to the wizarding community to decide. Someone has to be answerable to the death of these four people.  
  
Harry finished reading the article and threw the paper across the room. "Didn't like that article did you, Potter." Came a cold voice from behind him. He turned to see Malfoy stand there with four or five other Slytherins standing behind him. Harry turned back to his plate not wanting to hear anything Malfoy had to say. He stared down at his food suddenly not hungry any more. Malfoy came closer to Harry and whispered into his ear. "Look at them." Harry looked around the Great Hall at the other students some of them were reading the Daily Prophet and staring at him with shocked expressions. "Just yesterday you were there hero and day well..." Harry looked over at the Ravenclaw to find Cho reading the copy of the Daily Prophet she was shaking her head and when she looked up at Harry she gave him look that made Harry's heart sink.  
  
"Shut up." Harry whispered.  
  
"You know what to do to make them stop looking at you like that and become their hero again." Whispered Malfoy. Harry closed his eyes. Yes he knew what he could do to help prevent the death of probably countless people but he was suddenly afraid to do it.  
  
"Malfoy sod off and leave Harry alone." Ron's voice rang clear in Harry's ears.  
  
"Mind your own business Weasley." Malfoy said coldly. "Harry and I were having a little discussion, weren't we Harry?" Harry didn't respond he just sat there with his eyes closed listening.  
  
"Malfoy you better leave not or I'll..."  
  
"Or you'll what curse yourself like you did second year?" retorted Malfoy and Harry heard the Slytherins laugh. Then there came another noise of the scraping of a chair and the commotion of the other students, which made Harry open his eyes to see what was happening. Ron had jumped onto the table and was about to dive for Malfoy when Professor McGonagall walked up to the table were they all were.  
  
"Mister Weasley, will you please get down form the table at once." She said and Ron stepped off the table sitting back down in his seat sending Malfoy murderous looks. "Mr. Malfoy our father is here to collect you and your cousin." Professor McGonagall turned to Malfoy and then walked away.  
  
"What Malfoy going to help your father torture Muggles." Said Hermione to the shock of everyone around her.  
  
"No Granger as a matter of fact I am attending a funeral, for my Uncle." Said Malfoy and then suddenly walked away from the group. The four friends sat shocked at what they just heard.  
  
"Now I feel a little bad for that comment." Said Hermione and Ron nodded slightly, but then turned to Harry.  
  
"Harry what was Malfoy saying to you?" asked Ron.  
  
"Nothing." Harry whispered weakly.  
  
"Oh come one Harry you can tell us." Said Ginny. Harry suddenly felt really angry.  
  
"I SAID NOTHING GINNY, WHY DON'T YOU BOTHER SOMEONE ELSE!" Harry yelled. Ginny looked at Harry horrified that Harry just yelled at her. Then in the next moment she got up and rushed out of the Great Hall crying.  
  
"Great job Harry." Said Hermione and rushed after Ginny.  
  
"Harry why did you have to do that?" asked Ron and he followed Hermione out of the Great Hall. Harry sat by himself staring now at is plate trying to sort through everything in his head. The depression he left earlier in the year was starting to creep back over him and all he wanted to do was to let go. He wanted a moment's peace. He wanted to be somewhere, where nothing could trouble him. He wanted to be with his parents. He wanted to stop feeling. He felt the darkness surround him and he was about to let go and let himself fall into it when someone put their hand on his shoulder. When he out his eyes he noticed the Great hall was empty except for him and the person standing behind him. He turned except to see a Professor standing there to tell him to head to call but when he turned around there stood Neville looking at him, worried.  
  
"Harry we have to be getting to class or we will be late." Said Neville. Harry nodded and got up from the table. The two Gryffindors walked down the corridor toward their next class, double poisons. Harry was rounding a corner when he noticed that Neville was not walking with him.  
  
"Neville you aren't going to right way." Said Harry, but Neville didn't seem to hear him. Neville continued to walk straight down the corridor heading for the moving stairs. Harry ran up after him calling his name. "Neville what are you doing?" He went to stop Neville, but he suddenly heard voices coming from the stairs. It was Ron and Hermione and they were talking about him.  
  
"I am worrying about him, Ron." Hermione's voice came from the end of the corridor. "He hasn't really talked to us for the past month. He is keeping things from us and now he yelled at Ginny who I can't get out of the bathroom. She is up there right now crying with Moaning Mrytle."  
  
"Ah, Neville we should be getting to class." Said Harry quickly. He didn't want Ron and Hermione to think at he was spying on them, but Neville still didn't respond. He was walking for where Ron and Hermione were. Harry stood in front of Neville to make him stop, but Neville just walked around Harry. He was staring at the end of the corridor not blindly. Right before Neville got to Ron and Hermione Harry yelled. "NEVILLE STOP!" A second later Ron and Hermione looked at the two Gryffindors coming toward them.  
  
"Harry what is the meaning for all this?" said Hermione. Harry looked at her and she was leaning up against the banister of the stairs, but before Harry could answer Neville talked straight up to Hermione, not seeming to realize that there wasn't anywhere else to go. Harry suddenly felt his stomach drop as he realized what was happening.  
  
"The Dreamwalker!" he whispered under his breath and ran straight for his two friends, just as Neville put his arm around Hermione and pushed her over the banister falling over with her. Harry caught Hermione by her foot, but suddenly fell off balance and tumbled over the banister with his two friends. He let go of Hermione's foot as he fell. Harry closed his eyes as he started to fall down the stair well. They had been on the fifth floor if they hit the bottom they might not survive, thought Harry, but before his thought ended he hit something hard. When he opened his eyes he was laying on a staircase, the wind knocked out of him. One of the staircases had moved right under him.  
  
A panic rose in him as he remembered his other friends. He looked over the side of staircase and notice that Hermione had also been 'caught' by one of the moving staircases, but she had fell longer and was knocked out cold. Harry wanted for the other staircases to move so that he could see if Neville made it safely onto one of them, when he felt his stomach drop again. There at the bottom of the stairwell lay a small boy. "No!" Harry said to himself.  
  
"Harry!" yelled Ron from above him. Harry looked up to see Ron looking over the banister at him. "Are you alright Harry?"  
  
"Yes I am fine, but Hermione and Neville... Go get some help Ron." Said Harry. Ron nodded and disappeared. Harry ran down the stair to where Hermione lay. He looked at her and noticed that she was she breathing, which made him smile, until he notice a deep cut on her head which was pouring blood.  
  
"Oh goodness child what happened here?" A woman's voice said from behind him. Harry turned to see the Ravenclaw ghost floating through the wall.  
  
"Can you stay with her? I will be right back." The ghost nodded at Harry and he ran furiously down the rest of the stair to get to Neville. When he finally reached the bottom and headed to Neville he noticed that Professor Smith had already gotten to him. She was bending over him and when she saw Harry she straightened up and put her hand in her pocket. She had a sad expression that made Harry stop just short of Neville and look down at him. Harry's eyes flew wide as he saw his friend lying in a pool of blood.  
  
"I am sorry by dear boy." Professor Smith said simply in a cold voice. "He is dead." Harry fell to his knees in disbelief.  
  
"This can't be happening." He thought to himself. "This is all my fault. If only I had the courage to give myself up to Voldemort no one would of gotten hurt." Watch stared down at Neville until the other Professors rush up to the boy and carried him off to the hospital wing.  
  
"All students please report to your common rooms immediately." Professor McGonagall's voice rang clearly through the corridors, and Harry could hear the distance murmurs of the students as they left their classrooms and headed for their towers. Harry was still staring at the pool of Neville's blood when Ron came up behind him.  
  
"Harry." Ron whispered to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright Harry?" Harry nodded, but he wasn't all right and doubted that he was every be alright again. "Harry we should be getting to the hospital wing." Harry stood up and followed Ron back up the stairs towards the hospital wing, but before they could get there, Professor McGonagall found them.  
  
"Boys you need to be getting to the Gryffindor common room. I need to make an announcement."  
  
"But Professor..." Ron tried to protest but was cut off by Professor McGonagall.  
  
"No buts. If you would please follow me so that I know that you are safe in the common room." They followed the Professor all the way to the common room where all the Gryffindors, except Neville and Hermione were waiting. "Okay let me see if all of you are here." Said the Professor and she quickly scanned the crowd with a frown. "Does anyone know where Miss. Weasley is?" asked Professor McGonagall.  
  
The feeling Harry had about something been wrong all day suddenly became stronger. "Professor she is probably up in her room. She was a little upset during lunch." Said Lavender Brown and looked at Harry with a mean expression, but Harry was in no mood to do anything, but look away from her.  
  
"Miss. Brown can you go and check for me please?" asked the Professor. She girl nodded and quickly went up to the girl dormitories, but came back even quicker.  
  
"Professor she isn't up here." Said Lavender. Ron suddenly stood up from where he was sitting.  
  
"What do you mean? Doesn't anyone know where my sister is?" asked Ron and his two brothers were suddenly standing by his side.  
  
"Okay prefects will start to look for Miss. Weasley, none of you other students will leave the common room." Said the Professor. Harry stood up and ran up to his room. He opened his trunk quickly and pulled out a small piece of parchment that seemed to have nothing written on it. He was about to close the trunk when he saw the Christmas present that he had gotten from Cassandra, his parent's wands. Not knowing why he quickly picked up his fathers wand and placed it in his sock. When he came back down to the common room he found that the other prefects had already gone and Ron was arguing with Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Why can't I go she is my sister?" Harry heard Ron say and in seeing Harry Professor McGonagall responded.  
  
"Fine you can go with Harry, but I don't want to hear about you to doing anything stupid. We already had one student die to..." Professor McGonagall stopped herself, but it was already to late. People in the common room began to cry and panic. Someone finally noticed that there were two missing Gryffindors, other than Ginny.  
  
"Where is Hermione and Neville?" a first year asked the Professor. Ron and Harry already knowing what had happened rush out of the common room and into the corridor on their desperate search for Ginny. When they found and empty classroom Harry pulled Ron in and showed him that he had the Marauder's Map.  
  
"Good thinking Harry." Said Ron. Harry spoke the password and the map came to life, showing them the familiar lay out of the castle. They searched it looking for Ginny, but she was nowhere on the map. "What does this mean?" asked Ron, who seemed on the verge of tears.  
  
"I am not sure, but I don't think that Ginny is on Hogwarts grounds anymore." Said Harry as he sat down in a seat. Ron swore loudly.  
  
"Can anything else go wrong today?" yelled Ron as he collapsed into a seat next to Harry. Harry closed his eyes and started to rub his temples when an image suddenly flashed before his eyes that made Harry jump out of his seat. It was Ginny surrounded by Death Eaters; they were all standing in a clearing of the forest just behind the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade. "Ron, I know where she is!" said Harry quickly and ran for the door with Ron close behind him.  
  
They were outside in no time at all running towards the whopping willow. "Harry, would you like to tell me where we are going?" Ron said with labored breath as they ran full out towards the great tree that had gave him nightmares for months after his first encounter with it.  
  
"We are going to the Shrieking Shack."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because Death Eaters have your sister in a clearing behind the Shrieking Shack."  
  
"What? How do you know that?"  
  
"I am not sure, but I do." Said Harry, as he picked you a stick and stopped just outside the range of the Whopping Willow. He poked the knot to make the tree stop trying to hit them and ran for the entrance.  
  
"Harry I am not sure about this." Said Ron as they both ran down the tunnel towards the Shack. Harry didn't respond he just kept on running. Harry was too preoccupied to notice that they were being followed.  
  
When the two boys finally got to the shack they ran to the back door, which was still broken from earlier in the year. They ran out of the Shrieking Shack and into the forest just behind it. It wasn't long before Harry saw a light from a clearing just ahead of them and he was ready to run straight into the clearing, but he was pulling back by Ron.  
  
"Harry do you think that it is wise to just go rushing into that clearing, with Death Eaters there?" asked Ron.  
  
"Ron I know what I am doing, now come on." Said Harry and he pulled Ron towards the clearing. They both stepped into the clearing at the same time to see at least ten Death Eater, in their robes and masks standing around a fire with Ginny lying, bound and gagged, on the ground just in front of them.  
  
"Ginny!" squeaked Ron. Ginny looked up at her brother and started to get free of her restrains.  
  
"Well if it isn't Harry Potter and his shadow Ronald Weasley." Said the head Death Eater and Harry recognized it immediately.  
  
"Lucius Malfoy." Breathed Harry. Lucius Malfoy stepped forward and took off his mask laughing at them.  
  
"Yes my dear boy, who else did you think it would be." He said and walked over to Ginny. He pulled out a knife and pulled Ginny closer to him. "I have been informed that you know the deal, which was given to your cousin." Ron looked at Harry confused.  
  
"Yes." Said Harry and Ron shook his head.  
  
"Harry what deal?" asked Ron but Harry ignored the question.  
  
"Well do you except?" asked Lucius.  
  
"Yes." Said Harry and Lucius smiled. Malfoy brought the knife down towards Ginny and she began to cry. Ron started to run for his sister but was pulled back by Harry.  
  
"Harry what are you doing. He is going to hurt Ginny." Cried Ron as he watched in horror has the knife got closer to Ginny, but a moment later was shocked to see that the only thing Lucius cut the ropes from her hands and let Ginny run towards them. Ginny ran towards Ron and didn't stop until she was safely in his arms. Harry turned to the brother and sister and smiled at them as they sat there holding each other, Ron trying to comfort his sister.  
  
"Ron take Ginny back to the castle." Said Harry and Ron looked at him with a wild expression.  
  
"What are you talking about Harry?" asked Ron quickly.  
  
"RON TAKE YOUR SISTER BACK TO THE CASTLE NOW!" yelled Harry as he began to walk towards the Death Eaters.  
  
"NO! Harry is this the deal. You for my sister?" asked Ron.  
  
"No, Ron me for the whole school." Said Harry simply. He walked towards the Death Eaters not listening to Ron pleas to him not to do it. He was only a few yards away from the Death Eater, and Lucius, who was smiling with his victory, when something suddenly flew in front of him pushing him back. Harry fell onto his back, knocking the wind out of him for the second time that day. When Harry sat up he saw the great black cat standing in front of him hissing at the Death Eaters. The cat was as big as Sirius was when he was a dog.  
  
"Well what do we have here?" asked Lucius as he walked towards the cat unafraid. "Nice kitty." He said, and the cat just hissed at him. "So that is how you got away from us." Harry watched in disbelief as the cat suddenly changed into a tall woman.  
  
"Cassandra." Harry said in surprise.  
  
"Yes Harry your dear little cousin is full of surprises isn't she." Said Lucius and he took another step towards her.  
  
"Lucius I will rip you apart if you touch me or these children." Said Cassandra, her voice suddenly sounded different, harder and cold. Harry stood up behind her and looked at her, so he had been the person to save Hermione and himself from the Werewolf. She had also saved Snape from Voldemort and the Death Eaters and now she was saving him from himself.  
  
"The boy has made his decision Cassie there is nothing you can do about it." Said Lucius he was getting angry.  
  
"The boy had no choice, he couldn't make a decision when there is no choice. Come with me or she and many other people die, that is not a choice Lucius."  
  
"Oh on the contrary, it is a choice. His life for many others that is the ultimate choice, and the boy has chosen, so let it be Cassandra." Said Lucius has he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the tall woman.  
  
"You know you can't hurt me." She said, and suddenly one of the Death Eaters grabbed Lucius' wand out of his hands as the other Death Eater attacked him. Harry watched looked up at his cousin and gasped at what he saw, her eyes were completely white. He turned and watched as the Death Eater finally got Lucius to the ground and tied his hand behind his back.  
  
"You will pay for this Cassie." Said Lucius. Cassandra only smirked at Lucius. "I wouldn't be so happy if I were you." There was a suddenly scream from behind them and Harry turned quickly to see a rather large snake circling Ron and Ginny.  
  
"No." Cassandra hissed. The snake was about to attack Ginny. Harry was about to tell the snake to get away from her when he left himself being roughly pulled up off the ground and a mouth covered his mouth so he couldn't speak. He suddenly realized that Cassandra's hold over the Death Eaters was broken as she went to stop the snake. Harry watched in horror as the snake coiled up to strike. If only the Death Eater would let him go so that he could simply tell the snake to stop it, but that wasn't going to happen.  
  
"Yes Cassie it is particular poisonous snake and she will be dead before anyone is able to get her any help, so I should suggest you stop it before it does anything, but one less Weasley in the world is fine with me." Said Lucius, and Harry saw Cassandra straighten up and look down at the snake.  
  
"Leave her alone and go back to your master. NOW!" hissed Cassandra. The snake turned to her and then slowly moved away. Ron and Ginny looked up Cassandra in horror and Harry suddenly realized that she had just spoken to the snake in Parseltongue, snake language. Lucius smiled at her.  
  
"I always loved it when you spoke the snake tongue when you were angry." He said with a laugh.  
  
"I would be laughing for much longer Lucius." Said Cassandra. Harry saw movement from behind Cassandra as a hood figure stepped out of a shadow and slowly walked up behind her with wand at the ready. Cassandra was about to say something else to the smirking Lucius, but it never came out of her mouth. Harry didn't hear the curse but he saw the light shot out from the wand and hit his cousin, who dropped to the ground.  
  
"I hope you didn't do anything damaging to her, for your sake, my dear." Said Lucius. "Our master would not be pleased if you hurt her." The Death Eater that just cursed Cassandra said nothing but walked up to her and kicked her in the stomach. Cassandra let out a slight moan to let him know that she was still alive. "Good lets go." Said Lucius and then looked back at the two Weasleys, who had watched in horror. "Bring them as well." He breathed. Harry started to struggle against the Death Eater as he watched two Death Eaters go to his two friends and put stunning curse on them just before he felt a familiar pull from behind his navel. After a moment of dizzying color he was dropped onto the hard wood floor of the Riddle house.  
  
"A portkey." Harry told himself. He stood up and looked around. He recognized this room. It was the room of his dream, the summer before his fourth year. The fire was blazing and it cast long shadows across the room. There was a high-back chair that sat in front of the fire, and someone sat in it. Lucius walked up to the chair and whispered something to the person in the chair. Harry didn't have to be told whom it was sitting in the chair, because there was a steady dull ache in his scar. "Voldemort." Said Harry as a tall figure stood up from the chair, sending a shot of pain through his scar.  
  
"If it isn't our dear Mr. Potter?" Voldemort said mockingly. "Come to me at last."  
  
"Oh and we also have Cassandra and the two youngest Weasleys down in the cells." Said Lucius as if it were nothing.  
  
"Excellent." Said Voldemort and then he turned his glare onto Harry, who was on his knees with one hand to his scar. "You maybe wondering Harry why I called you here. Well I wish to announce to the world that I have entered, and to have one of my more powerful enemies a my mercy will strike fear into their hearts."  
  
"Why don't you just wear a pink skirt that will also strike fear in their hearts." Harry said with a smirk, but it was a hallow victory. When Voldemort quickly crossed the room and slapped Harry across the face, which hurt doubly worse. With the pain of the hard slap stinging the side of his face and the pain in his scar, which exploded from the closeness of Voldemort, Harry collapsed onto the floor.  
  
"I wouldn't be so smug if I were you boy!" hissed Voldemort. "Take him to the cells." He said, but before the Death Eater grabbed him Voldemort spoke again. "Wait!" he said and put and hand up. The Death Eaters moved away from Harry. "A little gift Harry." He heard Voldemort say. "Cruico." Hissed Voldemort and the pain ripped through Harry's body more than before. He remembered this pain from the year before, it was unbearable and he wished he were death. He felt the darkness coming towards him quickly and he was about to surrender to it when he heard Voldemort's voice again. 'Fininte Incantatem." Harry lay there for a moment longer listening to the laughter of the Death Eaters, before he felt himself being lifted off the ground. The pain lingered in him and as the Death Eaters walked him out of the room he fell into darkness.  
  
He woke up in a small cage that was hanging about five feet above the floor. His body ached and his scar still hurt him. He looked around to find Ron in a similar cage next to him and Ginny was laying unconscious on the floor in a cell a couple of yards away. "Ron are you alright?" Harry said are he sat up to get a better look at his friend who seemed to be staring at his sister with a worried expression.  
  
"I am as good as can be excepted." Said Ron. "But I am worried about Ginny she hasn't moved since they threw us in here and that was over a day ago." Harry suddenly looked up at his friend.  
  
"A day?" asked Harry and Ron turned to him.  
  
"Yes Harry a day. They threw me and Ginny in here along with Cassandra, but they took her away when they brought you here." Ron informed his friend.  
  
"And you have been awake that whole time?"  
  
"Yes I can't see right now, not here, not while Ginny..." he was cut off by his sister suddenly talking.  
  
"I am alright, just asleep." Said Ginny who sat up and looked at the two boys sitting in the cages. "Are you two alright?" she asked.  
  
"Yes." Ron said, but Harry didn't respond. The two Weasley looked at him and he was staring at a point of the far wall.  
  
"This is all my fault. If it weren't for me you two would be here." Said Harry and this made Ron mad.  
  
"HARRY GET A GRIP!" Ron yelled at him. "This isn't your fault, none this is, and I really hate it when you say that it is..." Ron was suddenly cut off by the sound of the door opening. The three friends all looked up as a group of Death Eaters, lead by Lucius Malfoy, walked in carrying Cassandra. They threw her into the cell next to Ginny and then turned their attention towards their other prisoners.  
  
"Morning lady and gentlemen are we having a nice stay." Lucius laughed, when he saw the fear in Ginny's eyes. "Well it is time for a little fun." Lucius pulled his wand out and pointed it at Ron. "Cruico." The cruse hit Ron and immediately he curled up in a ball at the bottom of his cage twitching and screaming in pain.  
  
"Stop it... Stop." Harry heard Ginny scream. Anger filled Harry, he could take being tortured himself, but seeing his friends getting tortured and not being able to do anything about it was a different story. He wanted his wand, but he knew that the Death Eater had taken it from him while he was unconscious. Harry balled his fists; he wanted to hurt Lucius Malfoy right now.  
  
"Fininte Incantatem." Ron fell silence and lay there in his cage as the Death Eaters laughed.  
  
"You bastard." Screamed Ginny, and Lucius turned to her with his wand at the ready.  
  
"Don't worry you will get your turn." He said with a smile. Harry threw himself against the bars of his cages as he watched Lucius bring up his wand. Ginny crawled to the back of her cell crying. She closed her eyes almost ready for the attack when the door opened behind Lucius. Harry's scar began to hurt as he looked up and saw Voldemort and the hooded figure from the clearing standing in the doorway. Ginny gasped as she saw the Dark Lord for the first time in her life.  
  
"Tom?" she squeak and everyone looked at her in shock.  
  
"Oh yes Virginia Weasley." Breathed Voldemort, and turning to Lucius spoke again. "You remember Lucius, you gave her my journal a couple of years back. She is the one who opened the chamber of secrets for me." Voldemort laughed and then turned to Ron. "Ronald Weasley." Ron sat up staring angrily at him. "The constant sidekick of Harry Potter."  
  
"I am not a sidekick." Ron protested, but Voldemort just laughed and turned to Harry.  
  
"The Boy Who Lived, well we will see what happens to you soon enough." Hissed Voldemort. Harry hissed something at him in Parseltongue that Voldemort didn't seem to like. "You will pay for that one." Voldemort brought up his wand and pointed it at Harry. "Cruico." Harry felt the familiar pain rack his body again. It was the longest time Voldemort had ever left Harry under the curse and a moment longer and the affect on Harry's brain would be enough to make him go insane. "Fininte Incantatem." The pain slowly ebbed away and Harry could hear Ginny and Ron's cries to get him to stop. Harry sat up slowly and watched Voldemort go into Cassandra's cell and look down at her. "Have you made your chose yet?"  
  
"Yes." She said. "Sod off." Voldemort slapped her across the face so hard that Harry thought he might of knocked her out, but she just sat there and brought her hand up to where he slapped her.  
  
"You know I can make you." Hissed Voldemort, who looked at Ron with a murderous look that made the panic in Harry rise. "I can always kill the redhead." Cassandra looked at Ron and shook her head.  
  
"You wouldn't."  
  
"I would and you know it. If you don't agree to it I will kill both the Weasley brats." Cassandra looked from Ron to Ginny and then back at Voldemort. She bowed her head in defeat.  
  
"Yes." She said and Voldemort slapped her again.  
  
"You will address me proper, child." Hissed Voldemort. Cassandra brought her hand back up to the place where he slapped her. She looked as if she didn't have any energy felt in her body.  
  
"Yes, father." Harry gasped.  
  
"Father what do you mean, father?" Harry asked confused. Voldemort turned and laughed at the three students.  
  
"Don't tell me they don't know?" laughed Lucius at the irony of the situation. Cassandra shook her head.  
  
"Didn't you know that Voldemort is Cassandra's father? What other reason would he have wanted her in the first place?" asked Lucius.  
  
"Because she is a Dreamwalker." Said Harry.  
  
"Oh yes she is a Dreamwalker." Said Voldemort. "But I have a loyal Dreamwalker already." He moment for the hooded figure at the door and she walked towards Voldemort. "This is my Dreamwalker, the nightmare, the dark one." Harry and Ron looked at each other remembering the warning. 'Beware the dark one, the spy, and the one of fire.' Something suddenly flashed in his head and he knew who the other Dreamwalker was.  
  
"Professor Smith?" said Harry. Ron looked at Harry confused, but the confused look suddenly turned into shock as the hooded figure started to clap.  
  
"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out." The cold slow voice of Alexandra Smith came from underneath the hood and she pulled it off. "You see Harry I am the loyal Dreamwalker of Voldemort."  
  
"You killed Neville and tried to kill Hermione." Said Harry.  
  
"Yes. A fun little distraction while Lucius was collecting Ginny here."  
  
"But why and how he had the amulet you gave him..."  
  
"Yes Harry he was wearing the amulet I gave him, to bad it didn't protect him from Dreamwalkers, and neither does yours or Ron's. And as to why, well they weren't worthy to study magic. Neville Longbottom is as good as a squib and everyone know it, and Hermione well the little know-it-all Mudblood got what she deserved."  
  
"Shut up." Ron screamed at her.  
  
"Oh yes, she is your girlfriend isn't she Mr. Weasley?" Alexandra laughed.  
  
"All of this is fun, but we must prepare for the announcement." Said Voldemort, and turned to his Death Eaters. "Bring them." 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen: The Announcement  
  
Harry, Ron and Ginny where brought to a clearing by the Riddle House. They were made to sit on their knees with three Death Eaters standing behind them. Ron was sitting on Harry right side and Ginny to his left. In front of them were five different large fires that sat in a semi-circle the opening facing the three students, and in another semi-circle around the outside of the fires stood the Death Eaters. They were a lot more of them than there had been the year before, and Harry wasn't surprised to see some of the Death Eaters were smaller than the other. There was one of the smaller Death Eaters standing next to Ginny and another one standing next to Ron. Harry thought about who they could be, probably some of the students from Hogwarts.  
  
"Harry." Harry heard his friend whisper to him. "What do you think is going to happen?"  
  
"I am not sure Ron." Said Harry and as he finished Voldemort stepped into the semi-circle of fires, along with a Death Eater standing next to him, the hooded figure of Alexandra Smith, and Cassandra who was being helped to walk by a Death Eater with a silvery hand. "Wormtail." Harry whispered and pointed at the hooded and masked figure standing behind Cassandra helping her along.  
  
"We are all ready." Voldemort's voice echoed through the clearing. "Then we will begin." Voldemort raised his wand and spoke something in a strange language Harry had never heard before. The fires that surrounded Voldemort roared up for a second and when they came back down to the side they were before Harry could see five different faces in each fire. There were two faces that he didn't recognize but the other three he did. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic was one of the, Professor Dumbledore was another, and the last one was Ron's and Ginny's father Arthur Weasley. "I would like to welcome all of you who are seeing this tonight and especially my special guests from the ministry of magic and of course Albus Dumbledore the Headmaster of Hogwarts."  
  
"What do you want Voldemort?" asked Dumbledore and Harry saw the cold fury in his eyes.  
  
"I just wanted to announce my return to the world, with a few very special guest of my own." Voldemort pointed towards the three students who were on their knees.  
  
"Ron! Ginny!" Arthur Weasley said suddenly.  
  
"Dad!" Ron and Ginny said in unison.  
  
"Voldemort!" said Arthur Weasley. Harry looked up in surprise that Author Weasley had said his name. "If you harm my children I will kill you with my bare hands so help me god."  
  
"Calm down Arthur." Said Voldemort with a laugh. "If I do anything to your children or to Harry there is nothing you can do about it. In fact I am sure that your son there now knows what it feels like to have the Cruciatus curse on him." Voldemort had a twisted smiled. "And Mr. Potter was reminded of it as well."  
  
"Ron? Harry?" Harry heard Arthur Weasley's voice full on fear and concern.  
  
"We are alright dad." Said Ron.  
  
"Yes, but not for long." Said Voldemort. Harry sat back on his legs and felt something poking his leg. He suddenly realized what it was.  
  
"Ron." Harry whispered. "I have my father's wand."  
  
"What? Where?"  
  
"I put it in my sock before we left."  
  
"Your sock?" Ron looked disgusted.  
  
"Yes Ron it was the only place I could think of that they wouldn't look." Harry finished and looked back at Voldemort who was still announcing his return to the people in the fire.  
  
"You have been silence so far Minister, have nothing to say?" Voldemort was now addressing Minister Fudge.  
  
"This can't be. Someone is playing a trick on me, and it is not funny. When I find out..."  
  
"Get a grip Cornelius." Said Dumbledore. "It is Voldemort, like I have been telling you for the last year, but you stubbornly refused to believe either me or Harry and look where that as gotten us."  
  
"I hate to stop this argument." Hissed Voldemort. "I would like to show you another of my guest. You all know her as the Lady of Dreams, and now she is back again with me as her master." Wormtail walked Cassandra forward a few steps.  
  
"Get your hands off me." Yelled Cassandra and flung her arms up to get Wormtail to release her, as her hands flew up Cassandra knocked off his mask and hood showing his face. Cassandra quickly put her hand through her hair and Harry looked at her as she looked at him with a half smile.  
  
"Peter Pettigrew." Said one of the people Harry didn't know. "Pettigrew is alive. Sirius Black was right." Harry suddenly realized that Cassandra had knocked his mask off on purpose so that Harry's godfather could be freed. Harry smiled, but his smile didn't last long as he watched the Death Eater who was standing by Voldemort move towards Cassandra and slapped her across the face. Cassandra fell to the ground. Voldemort in seeing this knocked the Death Eater to the ground next to Cassandra. He pointed his wand at the Death Eater, but stop.  
  
"The sins of the father, will be visited on the son." Said Voldemort and he turned his wand to the small Death Eater who stood next to Ginny. What happened next, happened quickly, as Voldemort uttered the Cruciatus Curse Harry felt movement from beside him and he looked at Ginny quickly. She had gotten to her feet and pushed the Death Eater out of the way of the curse, but she could move quickly enough and the curse hit her instead. Harry heard her scream in pain and five different voices, his included, calling out her name. "Weasley your child did that to herself, and now because of her interference you will have one else mouth to feed, but I don't think I will kill the girl." He turned to Ron. Fear and panic rise in Harry has the Death Eaters were pull both of them to their feet. Ginny was still screaming in pain of the curse.  
  
"Fininte Incantatem." Whispered the Death Eater that Ginny had saved, and Ginny's body relaxed but her cries didn't stop.  
  
"Arthur, you have five other sons, you will not miss this one to much." Voldemort walked steadily towards Ron and Harry. There was a silence that hung over the clearing as everyone watched, some with horror some with amusement as Ron realized that he was about to die. Harry looked at his friend.  
  
"No this is all my fault and if Ron dies I don't think I could live with at." Harry thought. "I can't let him die." Later Harry couldn't really remember exactly what happened next, but everything seemed to go in slow moment as Voldemort stop walked toward them only a few yards away from the two boys his wand pointed straight at Ron's chest. Ron looked at Voldemort with fear, and angry, he wasn't going to beg for his life and he wasn't going to cry either. He was going to die with dignity like he always heard about, like he heard when people talked about Harry's father.  
  
"Avada Kedavra." Everyone heard Voldemort say the words and Ron saw the flash of green light heading for him. It seemed to come in slow moment. He stared at it for what seemed to be forever and heard his father cry out his name, but a second later he saw Harry's face as he stood in front of him and smiled.  
  
"No." said Ron as he realized his friend had just stepped in front of the killing curse to protect him. Ron stared at his friend in horror. Harry looked at Ron and smiled. He was going to protect his friend; he was going to die for his friend just like his mother had done for him.  
  
"Goodbye Ron." Harry whispered as he felt something hit him hard in the back and pushed him into Ron. Darkness.  
  
Ron was falling backwards with the weight of Harry's body falling on him. Harry limp body fell on top of Ron. Ron sat up and looked down at his friend's lip body, who looked only as if he were asleep with his head in Ron's lap. "Harry?" whispered Ron as he pulled Harry's body towards him and hugged his friend. Ron looked up at Voldemort and the other people who had watched his friend sacrifice his life for him. They all stared down at the two of them shocked. Everything seemed surreal to Ron.  
  
"This can't be happening. This can't be happening. Damnit Harry, why did you have to go and do that?" Ron said to himself. Ron looked at Voldemort and saw that he was staring at Harry in shock, which surprise Ron a great deal. "Why does he look at surprise he did want Harry dead and now he has it." No one in the clearing moved for a long time.  
  
"Damn Weasley." Ron heard one of the Death Eaters in the outer circle say. "I will kill him." The Death Eater raised his wand and pointed it at Ron. "Avada Kedavra." He said and for a second time Ron watched has the green light headed for him.  
  
"No!" he heard Cassandra scream, but it was too late. The curse was inches from him, and Ron closed his eyes. He was going to be with Harry soon. He felt something hit him in the chest and a pain ripped through his body. He wanted to for the darkness but it never came. Ron opened his eyes he wasn't dead. He looked down at his chest and there, where the curse had hit him, was a whole in his clothes and a lightning shaped cut in the middle of his chest. Ron realized what had happened when he looked up to see that the Death Eater who cursed him was no longer there and all of the Death Eaters behind him were lying on the ground as if they were had to duck to dodge something.  
  
"Idiot." He heard Cassandra hiss as she ran up to the two boys. "Are you okay Ron?"  
  
"Yes I think so, but Harry." Cassandra smiled at Ron and then looked down at Harry and the smiled slowly disappeared from her face.  
  
"No, this can't be." Said Cassandra and with tears in her eyes.  
  
"What?" asked Ron.  
  
"He's dead." Cassandra stood up and turned to look at Voldemort. Tears were streaking down her face. "He is dead an you killed him."  
  
"That can't be." Ron heard Dumbledore's voice. Ron suddenly felt a cold and powerful energy surround him as he looked up at Cassandra whose rage was out of control.  
  
"YOU KILLED HIM!" she screamed and Ron felt something fly by him. He looked at Voldemort and the rest of the Death Eaters as they were thrown back by the power that came from Cassandra, the same power put out the fire and the faces that were there a moment ago were gone. Still shaking from rage Cassandra turned to Ron. "Ron you have to get out of here and take Harry."  
  
"But..." There was a noise from behind him that made him stop. Someone was coming out of the tree line.  
  
"Severus good you're here." Said Cassandra. "You need to take the children away form here." Snape nodded at her and went to pick up Harry.  
  
"Wait." Said Ron and grabbed Harry's father's wand from inside his sock. "Accio wands." Said Ron and his, Harry's and Ginny's wands flew out of Voldemort's robes and into Ron's hands. Snape picked up Harry and motioned for Ron to follow him. "Ginny lets go." Said Ron, but when he looked over to where she sat been lying, she wasn't there. Ginny and the Death Eater that she had saved had disappeared.  
  
"Mr. Weasley lets go!" Snape said impatiently.  
  
"I can't go without my sister." Said Ron.  
  
"Ron I will find your sister, okay." Said Cassandra. Ron looked up into her eyes and nodded Ron followed Snape into the forest.  
  
"There is a portkey in that clearing just ahead. It will take us back to Hogwarts." Snape informed the confused Ron. They ran into the clearing when suddenly they heard a scream from where they were a moment before. Snape and Ron turned to see Cassandra and Alexandra standing in front of each other Alexandra had her hands on the sides of Cassandra's head and Cassandra had the same with Alexandra. They stood there for a moment before they both let go of each other and stumbled backwards. Ron notice at shadow near Cassandra move and Cassandra screamed again as she realized that it was a Dementor. The Dementor quickly grabbed Cassandra and pulled her to him. Ron had never seen the Dementor kiss before, but now he watched it in full horror.  
  
"No!" breathed Snape and he turned to go back to Cassandra, but Ron grabbed a hold of his robes.  
  
"Professor." Said Ron looking up at Snape. Snape looked down at the boy and reluctantly turned back to the portkey.  
  
"On the count of three." Snape said and Ron nodded. "One... Two... Three." They both took a hold of an old soda can, and before Ron was pulled away from the place horror he whispered a single word, 'Ginny'.  
  
They had landed just outside the doors to the Great Hall. Snape walked towards the doors with Harry's limp body in his arms. Ron pushed the doors open to find that most of the students were all sitting at the tables. They had been eating dinner, and they were crying. Someone in the hall scream has the noticed them standing at the door. Everyone rushed over to them crying and scream. Dumbledore was one of the first people to get to them.  
  
"Severus please take Harry to the hospital wing." Snape nodded and headed towards the hospital wing. "Prefect please escort the student back to your dormitories." Dumbledore said and then turned to Ron, who was still standing next to him staring at the people crying. "Mr. Weasley your parents are on their way, and you need medical attention."  
  
"But Ginny." Said Ron. "We couldn't find my sister, Professor." Dumbledore looked down at the boy.  
  
"I am sorry Ron, but there is nothing you can do right now. I will inform the Aruor immediately and they will search for your sister." Ron nodded and followed Dumbledore to the hospital wing. They were almost there when they heard a cry. It was Sirius. Ron ran up to him. He stood in the corridor just outside the hospital wing staring after Snape who had just walked through the doors.  
  
"Sirius?" Ron said and Sirius looked down at Ron, with a horrified look.  
  
"Ron are you okay?" he asked looked that the lightning shaped wound that he had on his chest.  
  
"Yes I am as well as can be excepted. I am more worried about Harry. Sirius I think he is dead." Said Ron and tears started to fall from Sirius' eyes. Ron had never seen him cry and Ron felt his own tears start to fall. "Sirius lets go and see what is happening." Without another word Sirius and Ron ran into the hospital wing. Ron noticed that Harry was lying in a bed with the Professors around him, and Madam Pomfrey was busy. He also noticed that Hermione was all right and awake. She was sitting on the ground just next to the bed where she had been lying staring in horror at the bed across from her where Harry lay. Ron and Sirius started for where the Professor where standing but they never made it that far. Madam Pomfrey stood up suddenly with a cry that made them stopped where they where.  
  
"He's dead." She cried and Ron left a pain in his chest and fell to his knee. His best friend was dead. He died saving his life. He felt the darkness surround him as he stared at his friend's body lying there peacefully.  
  
"Its all my fault." Darkness.  
  
Harry was standing at a crossroads, which four separate roads going indifferent directions. Next to the crossroads there was a signpost that had three arrows pointing in three directions. Harry looked up and read the words that were on the arrows. "Things that were, things that are, thing that will be." He stood there for a long time, before anything happened. He saw a light coming closer to him from the road that did not have an arrow pointing at it. He watched the light get closer and closer and was not afraid of it. The light was right in front of him now and there were people in the light. It was his parents and they were smiling at him. Harry wanted to walk towards them, towards the peaceful and loving place, where nothing could hurt you anymore. He got a step forward, but stop when he heard someone talking to him.  
  
"I would not go that way if I were you." Harry turned to see who was talking to and Cassandra was standing right behind him.  
  
"Why?" he asked. "Is there something wrong with that place."  
  
"No there is nothing wrong with that place. That is the place where you go when you die." Said Cassandra  
  
"Yes and I am dead, Cassandra. The killing curse hit me and I die saving Ron's life." Harry said, but there was no hurt or anger in his voice. He had made peace with his decision.  
  
"Yes you did step in front of the killing curse and you did save Ron's life, but you are not really dead Harry." Harry looked at her confused. "Harry you remember the spell Voldemort used bring himself back?" Harry nodded. "You remember that he used your blood?" Cassandra touched the arm where Wormtail had cut him to get his blood. Harry nodded. "Well you see Harry your blood is in him, and he cannot kill you with any curse, hex, or enchantment. It is another of those ancient magiks that he forgot about, just like the one that saved your life, so many years ago." Cassandra looked up at his scar.  
  
"So why am I here Cassandra, if I am not dead?"  
  
"Your mind thinking that you are dead. Your body absorbed the killing curse and that put your body into a magic stasis. This stasis makes it look has through you are dead and you mind believes it. Now you have to choose, to go to your parents." Harry looked at his parents who were beaconing him towards them. "Or go back and live." Cassandra pointed away from his parents, to the road with the sign that said "Thing that are." where he could see what was happening in the living world. Ron was sitting in a chair next to a bed where Harry's body lay. Ron was staring at Harry not moving, and his heart ached to see him like that. "If you go to your parents, Ron will never be the same again. He will exist only in a world of darkness where he will constantly blame himself for your dead." Hermione came up next to Ron and hugged him, but Ron didn't move or react in any way. Tears streaked down her face. The picture suddenly changed and Ron, Hermione, Sirius and the Weasleys along with a group of other people were standing in a graveyard looking at Harry in his coffin.  
  
"What is going on?" he asked quickly.  
  
"Time moves different here Harry. Here it seems to be only a few minutes since you were in the clearing saving Ron, but out there it has been a week and they are burying you."  
  
"But if I am still alive?"  
  
"They don't know that Harry to them you are dead and gone, so they are burying you in Hogwarts private cemetery, and they are suffering Harry." She pointed back at the picture of his funeral, and watched as Hermione walked up to his coffin and looked down at Harry's body. She suddenly started to shake Harry and cry out.  
  
"Wake up!" she screamed at him, and he watched as she started to cry. "Wake up Harry!" Tears streaming down her face as she shook his body desperately tried to get him to wake up, but he never did. "Harry wake up!" she let go of him and fell to her knees. "Please..." tear stream down her face and she didn't have any strength left in her body. Tears were now streaming down his face.  
  
"Are you going to let them suffer like that?" Harry watched as Sirius picked Hermione up off the ground and carry her back to his seat. She sat curled up in Sirius' lap crying into his cheat. Sirius had silent tears on his face and Harry's heart broke to see that.  
  
"I don't want to see that anymore." Said Harry, but the picture never went away.  
  
"Harry, you can't turn that picture off. That is what is happening right now. Those are real emotions from real people who love you so much." Her voice wavered for a moment, but then cleared her throat and continued. "There is something else that you should see Harry." Suddenly there was another picture from the road marked, "Thing that will be" and this on was even worse. There were fires raging everywhere and people were crying out in pain.  
  
"Is that hell?" Harry asked.  
  
"No Harry, that is the future. That is what will happen if you go to your parent and not live the life that you were destined to live." Harry stared that the image on the future and shook his head in horror. "Now you have to decide before it is too late. Go to your parents, or go back and fight." Harry looked up into Cassandra's eyes.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"Me well." She looked at the image on the present in the living world, and there she lay on a bed with someone sitting in a chair next to her. "My body lays there, a result of the Dementor's kiss. Poor Severus." Harry suddenly realized that the person sitting in the chair next to her was Professor Snape. "He was like a father to me. He took care of me when I was little and he was the one to help me disappear and hide, but that doesn't matter now you have to choose and I must be leaving. Before I go I will give you an early birthday present." She placed her hand on the side of his head and stared into his eyes. Everything became blurry and he couldn't see. "Take off your glasses." Harry took off his glasses and could see perfectly. There was a dull ache in his head that suddenly went away. "There you can keep your own secrets." She said with a smile and turned to walk away.  
  
"But I don't understand."  
  
"Harry didn't you know. I was your secret keeper." She said before disappearing. Harry stared at the spot where she disappeared for a moment before looking at his parents and smiled. There was a sense of peace that came from that place that called to Harry's heart, and beaconed him. He was unaware that he was moving closer and closer to the place where his parents were, until he heard Hermione scream his name and he suddenly turned toward the living world. It was the end of the year feast and the school was gathered in the Great Hall. Hermione was crying and so was everyone else. Harry looked up at the head table to see tears falling down Professor Dumbledore's face. He watched the feast for a moment longer and then turned to the picture of the future considering what he was to do. Then he turned to his parents and closed his eyes. A calm settled over Harry has he knew what he was going to do.  
  
"I have decided." Darkness.  
  
Fininte Incantatem. 


End file.
